Pledge of Atonement
by SpartanGamer2013
Summary: They made their mistakes. They made their choices with heavy consequences. Now, they come together with a common goal in mind: to protect the Overworld. Together as a team, they make a pledge...their pledge of atonement.
1. Prologue

**Finally, back with another story, one that I have been wanting to work on for a long time now. It is the first arc of my own universe I created known as the Soldatenverse. On my profile, I will have on there what the universe is about, but this is the origin story for the team I created. Hope you guys enjoy!**

**Prologue**

The island stood quietly amongst the waters, beautiful in sight. The palm trees, with large green leaves, swayed slightly in the breeze, and the bushes hid many creatures from view. There were many cliffs that stood over the waters, with waves crashing against the walls. If anyone stood there, they could overlook the beach for any signs of invaders or visitors. The beach itself was covered in seashells, the sand very light brown where it was dry and dark brown and mushy where it was wet. Not many people went to the island, and even more did not know it existed. As the clouds covered the dim lit moon, a shadow overcasted the island, enshrouding it from view completely.

From a glance, it was a beautiful island, but not unlike any other in the sea. However, one did not see the surface value of it...

A figure, shrouded in a brown cloak, stepped on the sand as the waves crashed against his feet. With his hood over his head, his purple eyes were the only distinguished features one could see. He looked around calmly, and he took in the peaceful picture of the island. However, as he felt the air around him, he felt anything but peace. There was a sense of foreboding, his body tensed, and his mind was on alert. Something...was amiss and, what he looked for, it was here. Slowly, he walked forward, and closed his eyes. He tried to reach out with his mind to find any source of life. He felt it, many of it; however, in that same feeling, he felt nothing.

His eyes narrowed, but he did not rush in. Something was amiss, and he knew he needed to be on his guard, but he also knew rushing in could be a fatal mistake. Quietly, he stepped toward the greenery; his mind reached out to every corner of the island in some vain hope that there was a simple fluke with his power. A brief glitch due to a hidden concern for his missing friend. One he swore to protect along with others from the hands of abusive and greedy people. It was the only reason he left his sanctuary and left others unprotected.

He had to hurry quickly.

As he walked through the jungle, pushing away the branches and leaves that were in his way, he listened. Strangely enough, there was no sound. The foreboding feeling increased with every passing second. He tried to reach out more, but he was met with the same thing: sensed many yet also none. Suddenly, he finally caught a sound...a rustling from a bush nearby. Calmly, he turned to face it, but he did not move forward. He watched the bush with wariness, his body more tensed than it was before. Suddenly, in great speed, whatever was in the bushes dashed away through the jungle. His eyes flickered to catch sight of it, but the vegetation concealed its appearance. He wasted no time and decided to follow it. He had no other lead, and he felt whatever was hiding could lead him to his answers. His speed was so quick, he seemed to be a blur within his surroundings.

Whatever he faced, however, seemed just as quick. It moved further ahead of him, and that was when he heard it. A growl...no...it sounded...monstrous...something he never heard before. Then, there was a moan. Immediately, he stopped and scanned the area for any sign of life or SOMETHING. To his disappointment, he still did not spot anything; there was, however, more movement. The disturbing feeling grew more, while he began to raise his hands slowly, as a safety measure. Suddenly, vines rushed out, but his hands glow blue and stopped them in their tracks. More vines shot out from behind him, but he sensed them in time and stopped them once more.

He could not feel who was attacking him, but the inhumane growls and moans echoed louder. His eyes narrowed more, before he leaped into the air. It was just in time, as more vines had come from the vegetation. He looked around from above, but he could see nothing through the large leaves of the trees. Confusion began to blossom inside him. Where was this...this creature? How could it hide itself from his mind? He did not understand. At the same time, he remained focused and halted more attacks that came his way. Suddenly, out of nowhere, there was a roaring sound. He hastily turned around to find the source but, the moment he did, all he could see was a burst of explosion before his violet eyes.

His teeth gritted his teeth, and he fell from the sky. His brown cloak burned from the spark within the explosion. Hastily, he pulled it off, just as he landed on the ground on bended knee, his head lowered. His form was now visible for anyone—if there was someone on the island—to see. He was tall, humanoid, with features that were more feline. His body was mostly grey, with two small blunt horns on top of his head. His chest and shoulders were defined, giving the impression of a breastplate. His three fingers on his hands were more like spheres, as were his feet. Finally, there was a tube that extended from the back of his skull to the top of his spine, bypassing his neck completely, while his tail was long and purple. Slowly, he raised his head to look around, and he noticed he was in the jungle once more.

There was a distinct smell in the air, and there seemed to be a haze around him. Immediately, he recognized what it was, and he quickly held his breath. He leaped back into the air to escape the hazy area. He scanned the area from above, and he noticed that it covered a good portion of the jungle. He never saw a haze that strong from an attack as this, nor had he seen it stay in the air for so long. Quickly, he turned his head to make sure there was not another explosion nearby. If he was only unsure before or questioning it, there was no mistaking now. Something was CLEARLY wrong with the island, and his friend was in more danger than he realized. He turned and flew away from the area. Abruptly, he felt a tingling run through his body before he felt relaxed, his breathing heavier. His eyes widened in realization, and he fought against the feeling while he kept moving. The haze was taking effect...and it felt more powerful than any other he came across.

Before he could try to comprehend why this was happening, he heard another growl. He looked down in enough time to see water rush toward him in a fast rate. From a glimpse, he could see that the water appeared tainted, almost sewage like. Quickly, he held his hands before him to form a barrier, but his body trembled from the numb feeling that flourished within him. The rush of water smashed into him and sent him back further into the jungle, and he hit the ground this time. He gritted his teeth as he tried to stand, but he could barely move now. His mind tried to focus on the task at hand, to command his body to move against the effects, but it was futile. Then, he heard it. Footsteps. Someone was walking his way and, this time, he could sense his presence. How could he miss this before? He turned his head to face this new presence, but then came one other surprise. On his sides, two machines popped out of the ground-one red and one blue-with a sphere like eye in the middle, glowing brightly. A strange, electrical stream rushed out and him, causing him to grimace in pain, yet he did not scream. A blue sphere formed around him, and he managed to raise one hand, only for him to feel the barrier around him.

He was now trapped. At that moment, he realized...the kidnapping, this island, no doubt the attacks, were all a trap. The sphere lifted into the air slightly, while he pressed his hands against the barrier in hopes he could break through. He focused on his powers, but even thinking about it brought a weight on him. After moments passing, the sphere began to turn red, and an electrical field surrounded him. He suddenly felt his limbs stretch out around him, pinning him in place, before an excruciating pain rushed through him. It was unlike anything he felt before, nor was he prepared. His eyes widened and he released a cry of pain. He struggled against it while he fought to keep himself from screaming again. It could not end like this...he was NOT going to be used again…

The footsteps were louder, and he fought harder to escape his imprisonment. However, the pain was too much. Moving became too much. When he heard a chuckle in front of him, he managed to look up, and he faced a man dressed in dark clothes with a pair of sunglasses upon his face. "_...Who…?_" He managed to say.

"Well now, he said you were most powerful...you certainly displayed impressive power, but I am disappointed that you allowed yourself to be tricked so quickly and defeated so easily." He said calmly. A small smirk etched his face, and it was then he noticed this man's eyes...did they glow red for a moment behind his sunglasses? "Hmph. No matter, I can test your abilities more now that I have you...MEWTWO."

"_How..do you know me?_" Mewtwo asked, his eyes narrowed at his captor. And this person he mentioned...could it be…?

"In time, all in due time. For now…"

Suddenly, the pain intensified, and he screamed loudly, echoing in the area around him...

**Hope you guys enjoyed! Read and Review!**

**God Bless!**


	2. Chapter One: The Vision

**Alright, another chapter...wow, this is the longest I have ever written. XD Hopefully, you guys will enjoy! Thank you for the reviews!**

**Disclaimer: I only own Dakota Jaeger. The other characters belong to their respective creators.**

**Chapter One: The Vision**

Dakota Jaeger loved the thrill of the hunt. The sense of adrenaline as she chased after her prey, the sense of clarity as she tracked her prey, and a sense patience as she watched her prey. Her dark brown eyes—speckled with amber—flickered around the forest as she positioned herself by a tree. Her right shoulder was pressed against the rugged bark, and the wood scent filled her nose with ease. She planted her feet against the ground, as she scooted closer around the tree, feeling her black quiver move slightly against her back. Her hand gripped her ebony black, compound bow while she brushed back her braided black hair from her somewhat pointed, copper skin face. Her gaze was focused, her light brown lips formed a line, and she stood perfectly still in her spot. She sniffed the air quietly, and her lips curled slightly for a moment. Her prey was within reach, and she was ready to strike.

Despite her short stature and lean body figure, Dakota was not one to take lightly, nor was her age not to be guessed by her appearance alone (which she looked like in her twenties). She was always reminded that her gaze was like a wolf on the hunt, tracking her prey and ready to pounce when the time came. She wore a simple black tank top, revealing the faded scars on her arms, and the Unity by Diversity symbol on her right shoulder, inked in black. It was a perfect length cross that was slightly pointed at the ends, with a square-like diamond behind it and curves that started at those ends. For a moment, she closed her eyes and listened for the hooves to hit the ground. It did...once. Twice. It came closer before it finally stopped. Right where she wanted it. Her body moved in great speed; she stepped out of her hiding spot with her arrow pulled out and drawn back on her bow. It flew at her target, which landed at its heart. Her prey—a large buck—suddenly fell to the ground, blood from its wound.

A grin formed upon her face before she walked toward it. "Gotcha…" She whispered. As she knelt beside the buck, her fingers lightly brushed against the fur and reaching close to the bloodstained wound. "Very good size...and there is enough fur to use…" Her eyes flickered to the arrow. Quietly, she brandished out a knife and dug out the arrow from the body, being as careful as she could to not ruin the fur. Blood stained her hands slightly, but she ignored it and focused on her task. When she finally got it out, she placed the arrow back in its quiver, and she easily went to pick up the buck. For any normal woman around her size, such a task would have been impossible without help.

Dakota Jaeger was no normal woman, however.

She propped it on her shoulders and casually made her way through the forest to a cabin she managed to buy. It was not anything fancy about it; Dakota was never for that. It was a two story, L-shaped cabin with light brown painted logs that was made smooth and light grey roof. There were small windows around the cabin, while there was a patio, held by log beams, on the second floor with double doors leading to it. It was her perch for a lookout, but it was a perfect place to gaze at the sky and nature scenery. Not far on the left side of the cabin, there stood a small building, where she caught the strong scent of dried blood—her place to gather the meat and fur from her prey.

For a moment, she glanced at the sky to see the sun getting higher and higher. That caused her to chuckle. "You gave me a run for my money." She joked quietly. She had chased the buck since before sunrise. While her own senses were on point, so was his, and it became a long game of "cat and mouse". That did not disappoint her, that it took her that long. It just made the hunt even more exciting, challenging. If everything was easy, her senses would be dulled, and her spirit would be easily broken by any hard moment. It was what she told herself for years, ever since she was a child. Challenge yourself and overcome it to make yourself stronger, both mind, body, and soul.

As she went to enter the building to extract the meat and fur, Dakota sniffed the air and caught a familiar scent. She chuckled softly, but she kept moving. She inclined her head slightly and called out, "Give me a little time, and I will have the meat ready for dinner! But you're gonna have to wait!"

Suddenly, there was laughter, lighthearted and somewhat deep with an accent to it. "We always have to wait when it comes to your cooking, Kota!" A familiar male voice responded. "Especially when we catch you off guard!"

She snorted, before she caught more familiar scents that came closer. With that, she turned to face her visitor, who stood by the cabin with his arms crossed. He was a young man in his early to mid-twenties, who stood lean with muscles from his training. His hair was reddish brown that reached the base of his neck and bangs over his dark blue eyes. His skin was fair with a little tan with it from his time in the sun, and his face had some sharp edges to it that matched his warrior spirit. He wore a red vest over a black sleeveless shirt, which matched his pants and shoes, silver chains upon his belt. There was a silver necklace around his neck, which had a silver emblem—a cross embedded with elegant curves around it—hanging from it.

Dakota chuckled. "Simon Belmont...I don't know who is more impatient: myself or you." She joked, as she tilted her head to the side.

"That is a debate neither one of us will solve. You know that right?" He retorted with a grin, laughing loudly.

"Perhaps so. Now, let me get to work! The door is unlocked, so you can make sure Cassandra and Remy can get in!" There was a knowing glint in her eyes. She knew their scents quite well now, having spent time with them for nearly a year now. Cassandra's was the smell of outdoors and leather, along with the scent of ash from flames. It was no doubt from her own world, where dragons were spotted. Remy, on the other hand, had the scent of swamps and spices, as well as gumbo and smoke. Both were quite exotic in their own way. Simon, on the other hand, had a familiar air around his scent. His was more of outdoors but with the scent of books and oil burnings. The familiarity of it was something she noted quite often.

It was the scent of home.

Simon merely shook his head, but then he flashed her a grin of his own. "Well, about that-"

"Sorry I'm late."

At the sudden appearance, Dakota's eyes widened as she jumped in the air and nearly dropped her catch. Her heart hammered against her chest for a few quick moments before she realized the new, yet familiar, scent that now entered the fray. The scent of forest and leaves permeated his scent, while there was the smell of barbecue and ramen. When she turned her head, all she could see was the amused look of a young man's soft black eye. His silver hair was lazily spiked, and his other eye was covered by a dark blue headband with a metal covering that had a lining of a leaf on it. His face was mostly concealed with a face mask, so it was hard to read his emotions. One never knew what he thought in some cases, least of all her.

With a quick sigh, Dakota gave him a look before she asked, "Did you HAVE to do that, Kakashi?"

Upon seeing the flat look on her face, he chuckled quietly and closed his eye in an eye smile. "That means you are not always on your game as you claim." He casually joked as he kept his hands in his pockets. He wore a green flak vest with a dark blue long sleeve shirt with fingerless gloves that had a metal cover on top, along with matching pants and sandals. White bandages were wrapped around the exposed parts of his legs, while there was a little bit on his pants. As he looked down at her, he added, "Says much when someone like me can sneak up on a Lycan like yourself."

"...Half Lycan." She reminded in a playful tone. "Half Skin Walker. Always remember that."

"You never let us forget." He retorted back.

"Of course, she doesn't!" Simon joked as he joined them, his gaze flickering toward the buck that still rested on Dakota's shoulder. "It's why she brings it up every day."

"...Not every day…" She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Just when you guys bring up by my bloodline in some way." Then, she resumed her walk into the building as she added playfully, "Now, let me get this ready! I am not wasting this meat because you guys wanna show up all at once!"

Kakashi chuckled once more. "You say that as if you're not happy to see us." He joked, but she merely laughed before she placed the buck on the large table.

The room reeked of dried blood of different animals' blood, all from her time of hunting, along with cleaners when she cleaned up the room after her butchering. She had different sizes of knives to help her cut out the meats in any way she wanted to. Plastic wrapping sat nearby, along with sanitized gloves. With a sigh, she grabbed her black apron off the hanger and threw it on. She grabbed the gloves and put them down before she began her work on the deer. She

could easily hear the chatter of her friends outside, and she could hear their footsteps against the grass clearly. A gentle smile formed on her face before she went for the first cut. She enjoyed her quiet time in the woods, especially when she had been traveling for a while and she wanted alone time.

However, Dakota enjoyed the company of her friends. She felt at ease in their company, whether she was in other worlds with them or on her own world. Normally, she would take her time to cut the meat, to make each cut very precise. While the hunting gave her a thrill and challenge, preparing the meat and fur was the calming process to allow her to think. With her friends now arriving, she did not want to keep them waiting any longer than they had to. So, with her inhumane speed, she went through the motions of cutting and slicing, organizing the different sizes and types of meat. Her mouth already began to water at the thought of the meals she could have. The scent of the deer, the more she cared for it, became almost intoxicating to her. Once she separated them, she began to wrap them in individual packages. Before long, she cleaned the blood off her gloves, her apron, and her table. As she began to gather the packages and leave for the cabin, she could hear Kakashi and Simon talk with Cassandra and Remy.

Her smile grew, but then she chuckled when she caught two more scents. It was the last two of their little group...they had finally arrived as well. Dakota stopped in front of the door before she turned to face the direction of the new arrivals. "Laurel, Hotaru, you two better hurry up!" She shouted.

"Hey, we are moving as fast as we can!" One voice, female, shouted in return, laughing loudly. Her scent was that of liquor, but also leather and Arabic desert. "C'mon, firefly, walk faster!"

The second voice, younger but also female, was quieter, but Dakota still heard her say, "I'm coming!" Her scent, unlike the other, was more flowery like violets, as well as the scent of jasmine tea.

"Hang on a sec!"

"Wait, Laurel-san-! EEK!"

Dakota laughed loudly before she noticed a figure in the distance, clad in black, carrying a smaller figure like a sack of potatoes. The woman, known as Laurel, was a spritely young woman, who was around nineteen. Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and her green eyes were bright with mischief. She had fair skin, and her form had muscles fit for her agile fighting. Her leather black jacket covered her white shirt, and she wore blue jeans with black boots.

The other figure was much smaller in height and very thin, yet Dakota knew better than to underestimate the girl's own strength. She was the youngest of their little crew, around fourteen, and the most innocent—at least, in Dakota's mind. She had shoulder length black hair with violet highlights, and her eyes were large and amethyst in color. Her skin was pale, like ivory, and it seemed paler against her black long sleeve shirt, skirt, stockings, and slip on shoes. As they got even closer, one could see the sketchbook she kept clutch in her hands.

Laurel wore a grin as she glanced at her and said, "See, Hotaru? This was a lot faster!"

"L-Laurel-san!" Hotaru exclaimed, struggling against her hold. "Put me down!"

"Nope! We're almost there, firefly, so hang on!"

"D-Dakota-san!"

Dakota burst out laughing as she watched the two approach her cabin. With a shake of her head, she said, "C'mon, Laurel, I think firefly can walk on her own." She said in amusement, and her laughter grew in volume when Laurel playfully rolled her eyes and placed her down. Then, she tilted her head and asked, "Hotaru, don't you have school?"

Hotaru looked at her in surprise before she rubbed her head. "I just finished for the weekend, and I have nothing else to work on, so I am free to be here." She said, hugging her notebook closely to her chest.

The half-breed nodded calmly, and she placed her hand upon the girl's head to ruffle it gently. "Okay then...well, the others are here now, and I have some venison to fix for dinner." She said, giving her a smile.

"Great! I'm starving!" Laurel piped up with a large grin. "...You're not cooking that extremely rare, are you?"

"...Ha ha." Dakota deadpanned; nevertheless, she smirked in return before she turned around to walk inside.

The inside matched the cabin well. The floors were hardwood and light in color, matching the walls. There was wooden frame for pictures and other wooden figurines, with a large dream catcher by her midnight blue couch. Her fireplace was grey stone made, and there were stairs that led to her bedroom. The living room was quite spacious, and there were two blue recliners by the couch, a midnight blue rug etched in silver on the edges, and a large light fixture above them. There were many bookshelves filled with books, and her coffee table had a stack of books on top. The kitchen was off to the side with an island in the middle, making it quite open.

The group conversed with each other as the girls entered the living room, where one man in his early twenties casually leaned back on the couch with a deck of cards in hand. He was handsome, Dakota had to admit, with his maroon and black bodysuit showing off his chiseled form. He wore a brown trench coat over it, as well as black fingerless gloves on his hands. His reddish-brown hair reached the base of his neck, and his skin was light tan due to his time in the sun. However, his eyes were quite peculiar. His irises were ruby red while his sclera was ebony black, giving him the look of a demon. He twirled one card in his hand-the Ace of Spades-as a pinkish energy seemed to flicker from it. It only lasted for a moment, and then it disappeared as if it was no longer there.

She chuckled softly, and then her gaze fell upon the final person of their crew, who was conversing with Kakashi. While he seemed very relaxed, she seemed tensed yet still amused. Her hair was pixie cut and black with small hints of dark brown mixed in, and her eyes were narrowed and bluish-green. To some men, she was not attractive, with the sharp edges along her face along with a scar on right cheek that reached her chin. Her body had some muscles due to her training, and she wore a black leather tunic and pants. Her belt held her iron sword, and her black boots reached her knees. Yet, her stance, the air around her of confidence, gave her another sense of beauty. A woman who was in her late twenties or early thirties, who had fought in all types of battles and a hero in her own right

When the man looked up from his cards, he gave his usual grin before he said, "Bonjour, mon ami. 'Bout time you decided to come inside. Ah thought Simon was gonna have to hunt ya down."

"Hey!" Simon whined slightly, as he stepped out of the kitchen. "I have been patient!"

"I'm sure you have, Simon." Laurel said as she stepped behind Dakota, grinning widely. "So the whole gang's here! Which means this mountain is gonna be restless all night!"

The man's grin widened. "Now THAT Ah like the sound of! Poker, party, and any other shenanigans we can get ourselves into!" He laughed as he sat down his cards on the table. He leaned back in the sofa and propped his feet on the table, his arms folded in front of his chest. "And knowing us? We'll crank it up by TEN."

Dakota rolled her eyes. "Of course, we will...we ALWAYS seem to find ourselves in some kind of trouble." She said with a snort.

"Always." Simon deadpanned, though his eyes glinted with amusement.

"Well, Ah mean, we are a bunch of misfits and troublemakers."

"...Not all of us, Remy." Laurel joked as she ruffled Hotaru's hair, causing her to giggle. "Firefly is the innocent one of us all!"

"Of course, she is." Cassandra Pentaghast spoke up, finally joining the conversation as she looked at them with her own slight smirk. Her arms folded over her chest, while her head tilted to the side slightly as she watched them. "And believe me, I am going to make sure none of you corrupt her."

Kakashi gave her a ghastly look. "Corrupt her? Us? Cassandra-san, you wound me! I never would do such a thing!" He exclaimed in a mock hurt voice, his hand upon his chest.

As she rolled her eyes, Hotaru's face turned pink as she looked down. "You do not have to do so, Cassandra-san." She said quietly.

"...I will still not get used to that…"

Her eyes widened when she before a sheepish look flashed across her amethyst orbs. "Gomen- I mean, sorry. Force of habit." She said, before she gave a small smile.

The ninja looked at her as he chuckled softly. He flashed her an eye smile before he turned his attention toward Cassandra and retorted, "You'll get used to it soon enough, I assure you, Cassandra-san."

"Perhaps one day, but I doubt it." She replied in amusement. Then, she moved away and sat down on the recliner, though she looked back in uncertainty. Dakota knew why; all of them did, really. The world she came from was from a time much farther back than her own. Whenever they visited, she was reminded of a medieval period, but with many magical elements and different creatures. To her, it was like a world she would read in the novels. Then again, the type of world she came from would be from novels or movies, of the horror kind, in her opinion.

As Cassandra slowly sat back in the recliner, almost hesitantly, the half-breed smiled and made her way toward the kitchen. "C'mon, Simon, maybe you can help me with the food since you are so eager to have some venison." She said as she glanced back at him.

He grinned at that before he hurried toward her. "Oh, you don't have to tell me twice!" He joked.

She chuckled and entered the kitchen, where it was simple. A silver refrigerator with a freezer, a black stove, and a microwave. There were wooden cabinets and drawers, filled with silverware, pots, pans, and other dishes for them to eat from. Dakota sat down the packaged meats on the counter, her gaze focused on her hands. A reflective glint was in her eyes, while she thought calmly. "...How long has it been since we knew each other?" She asked calmly, looking up.

"Hm?" Simon's gaze fell upon her, but then he smiled and leaned against the counter with his arms crossed. "...Around two years...heh, can't believe it has been." He said wistfully. "Time seems to fly when you have fun."

"...Heh...yeah." She turned around herself, and she watched the others with her own arms crossed in front of her. "Two years of traveling and fighting monsters or some idiot who thought it was best to take over the world." She joked quietly. "And in that time...we managed to gather some friends."

He nodded. "Yeah, friends who feel the same way. To protect the innocent from those who wish to do them harm."

In return, she nodded, while her gaze remained on the group in the living room. Hotaru had already sat in the other recliner, her notebook open with a pen out, her gaze now focused. She was no doubt drawing another picture, a muse hitting her easily. Laurel now sat in front of Remy, who grinned and dealt the cards. From the look on the former's face, she was ready to play another game of poker with him, ready to win this time. Yet, Dakota knew better than to believe she could win. Remy had a way with cards...and he always won. Kakashi moved toward Cassandra's side, his look amused with her own hesitance with her seat. She threw him a look, before she smirked and pushed him back playfully. All of them were well content with each other. They were friends who randomly found each other and stuck together.

Her lips curled into a soft smile. Friends...she had other friends who were very dear to her, and with the friends before her were just as dear. She nudged Simon slightly and said, "Well, we relax this weekend...then we'll be on the road again."

"As always...but now...DINNER."

Both of them laughed loudly before they turned around. Dakota smiled and went to grab a pan, but she caught something out of the corner of her eye. With a confused look, her hands were frozen in place while she slowly turned her head to look. Before her, there stood a large, black wolf. Its eyes stared into her, unmoving, like a statue. Her own breath began to quicken, and her eyes widened slightly. "..You…" She breathed out quietly.

"...Kota…?"

She ignored Simon; her attention was on the wolf solely. Then, she stepped away…

**The air felt thick with tension, as Dakota walked through a jungle like area. Her eyes looked around in confusion, while she stepped cautiously through the vegetation. She could hear everything around her...the inhumane growls, the moans, the sounds of rustling leaves, and painful screams. Her breath hitched itself in her throat, but she pressed her lips together and kept moving. Ahead of her, she could see the black wolf, its amber eyes shimmering through the shaded areas. She made her way toward it, before she heard a roar that sent a chill down her spine. A large shadow was cast over her, and she looked up to see a giant creature fly overhead. Her eyes widened, and she immediately ran through the jungle to hide herself. She had no weapons on her, and she knew her own inhumane strength would not be enough to fight it. Whatever it was.**

**Suddenly, flashes of images came before her eyes. It happened so fast; all she could see was mushy blurs of colors with some shapes. Before Dakota knew it, she was in a cavern like area. Water dripped around her, as she looked around at the rocky walls. She sniffed the air a few times. Saltwater...it was stronger now than it was a moment ago. Slowly, she followed the scent in hopes it would lead her to a new area, perhaps what she was supposed to find. Her footsteps echoed, traveling almost all through the pathway. Her body was tensed, while her gaze hardened. She was ready to fight if need be, and the tension in the air did not ease that thought for one moment. Before long, she came across a cliff that oversaw water. She carefully planted a foot along the edge, and she looked over to stare at the calm surface.**

**"...It's…" She whispered lowly. "This must be a cavern by the sea…" Then, there was an abrupt rumbling, and her body swayed in place. She kept herself steady as her eyes widened; however, when she looked down, she noticed something. Unlike the shadow she last saw, this shadow was...HUGE. It could easily dwarf a whale, and the inhumane moan echoed from below. "...The hell…?" She said, and then there was another rumble. "Ah great!"**

**She quickly turned to escape, but another rumble caused the ground to break underneath her. She went to swing her body forward, and she managed to grab the ledge when she fell with the debris. With gritted teeth, she held on tightly, her nails digging into the rocks. She glanced back for a moment and watched her once rocky surface splash against the water. That caused the huge shadow to move. Another rumble came, stronger than before, and her eyes widened when her grip began to slip. "Nononono!" She cried, planting her foot against a rock to push herself.**

**To her dismay, she could not push herself up in time, and the rock gave way. She plummeted toward the water below, screaming loudly. On the remains of the cliff, she saw the wolf again, and that was when another flash came forward...one she could recognize better.**

**More vegetation…**

**More water…**

**A lab with a creature trapped in a sphere...screaming in pain…**

**"I... will not...submit…!"**

**Finally, her body crashed into the water…**

"Dakota!"

"Kota? Kota!"

"Hey, is she alright?"

"Hey, Dakota, wake up!"

Dakota could hear the voices all around her, yet she could not figure out who they belonged to at first. She gasped loudly and sat up abruptly. Cold sweat cascaded down her body as she shivered uncontrollably. The visions were still before her very eyes, and the screams were still playing out in her head. For a moment, she could still see the wolf, who watched her calmly. When she looked into its eyes for that moment, she felt...comfort? Afterwards, the wolf disappeared, but the feeling remained. The visions and screams finally ebbed away to where she could focus on reality. She finally had names for the real voices. Her friends...Simon, Laurel, and Cassandra. They knelt beside her with concerned on their faces, while the rest stood overhead. They too appeared concerned.

Her breathing was heavy as she gulped. "...S... Sorry…" She mumbled.

"...Was that…?" Cassandra slowly asked. "Did you just have a vision?"

She said nothing. A vision...one of her skills. If something terrible was happening, or about to happen, she would be visited with a vision. It was a gift from the time she was a child, a gift from her Skin Walker side. Her shaman side. With a quick nod, she slowly tried to stand up. "I could hear them...the song…and the screams…" She whispered. The song...no...not the song…

"...What song, mon ami?" Remy slowly asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Once more, she did not respond. Suddenly, two new scents reached her nose, causing her eyes to widen. Before she could try to figure out what they were, who they belonged to, there was a knock at the door. Dakota's head shot up quizzically before she managed to stand on her feet and made her way toward the door. When she opened it, she came face to face with two people, one familiar and one not. The latter was a man who seemed to be in his thirties, with black hair that matched his thick eyebrows and his eyes. He wore a white button shirt with a brown trench coat over it and a brown duster on his head. There were a few lines on his face, all of which seemed to be from stress. He did not seem too pleased to be there, but he appeared serious and worn down. The other one, however, was younger, around twenty-one. His hair was flaming red and spiky, while his eyes seemed sharper now and emerald green. He wore an orange and black coat with black pants and boots, along with a black and orange cape attached to his coat.

As she looked at them, her gaze fell upon the younger man. "...Lance?" She slowly said. "...What's...going on?"

"Dakota…" He said calmly, his gaze serious, almost worn. "There's a problem in Johto...one that I think you and Simon can help us with."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, her head tilting to the side. "What's that…?"

"...The creatures...they...they seem to be...zombies."

**...Now...it begins. Read and Review guys!**


	3. Chapter Two: The Mission

**...I think it has been a long time since I posted another chapter this soon. O_O Hoping I can keep this up and you guys are enjoying it! Ready to find out what Lance needs Simon and Dakota for?**

**Disclaimer: I only own Dakota and the plot to this story. Everyone else belongs to their own creators.**

**Chapter Two: The Mission**

_**April 28th, 2011 14:23**_

Dakota slowly let Lance and the other man in. Confusion etched across her face as she watched them carefully. She remembered the first time she met the former, not long after she and Simon traveled together. He was what his world called a Trainer, with creatures that held abilities, and he became an ally of sense to the duo. She recalled telling him to visit her home should he need her and Simon again. That was two years ago...and not once did he need her until now. The vision itself still played through her mind, even more so while her gaze remained on her guests. She knew better...this was no coincidence. She recalled the song of the dead clearly and hearing him say zombie made it seem louder. Whatever this trouble was, the zombies were on that island, she concluded. The problem was...what was so devastating that required her to see a vision? Zombies were clearly a problem; she knew that firsthand. However, was it another outbreak? Or, she feared, an outbreak on a grand scale?

Simon slowly stepped forward as he looked at Lance quizzically himself. "Lance?" He asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Forgive the intrusion." Lance began as he stepped in the living room. "We didn't mean to interrupt anything, but we have a situation on our world that...is unlike anything we've seen before."

"These...zombies…" The man calmly replied. "We heard rumors of these things, but never knew they were true until now." Yet, as Dakota noted, he seemed uncertain at the words he said, and she noted his eyes as they flickered to everyone in the room. She did not blame him at all. While she was not human and aware of the supernatural, the zombies were never ones she thought to see. When she did, they were...haunting. Then, he nodded at them as he adjusted his hat. "Special Agent Looker."

"...Dakota Jaeger." She said with a nod of greeting.

Cassandra crossed her arms. The playfulness that once shimmered in her eyes was now gone. Now, they were steel, like a warrior who was ready to battle and protect. "Is it a dark mage who has summoned them?" She asked.

"...No...No, I don't think so…" Lance slowly replied, a brief confusion flickering on his face.

Simon shook his head and sat down on one of the recliners as he explained, "Lance's world does not have magic. They are known for having creatures that can use different abilities. Kota and I came to their world a couple years ago, and we met Lance." His eyes flickered toward Dakota, and she met his with silence. "...So, to hear this...this is unheard of…"

Looker sat down on the couch as he pulled out a file from his coat, and he sat it down on the table. "No records of anything like this from any regions. When Lance heard of this, he insisted we come here because he feels you would know this situation best."

"I KNOW they would know this situation best." Lance interjected. He fixed his cape slightly before he sighed. "...This is otherworldly, I know it, and I remember the stories they told me they have faced before."

Dakota's eyes fell upon the files. Without a word, she stepped forward and grabbed the file. Her hands trembled when she opened it and stared at the paperwork, her stomach lurched. Her face paled, and her eyes widened in realization. There were a couple pictures, and there was detailed information about the situation. The Pokemon did not act like they normally do...no, they attacked a group of police officers and feasted on their bodies. Their bodies rotting away while their gazes were now cold, milky white. All it did was bring back memories. She recalled the song of the dead again, the sight of burning buildings, the smell of death and rotted flesh. She felt even more sick to her stomach, and her breath now shook more in fear. As she continued to read the report, the location caught her by surprise. Her eyes narrowed together as she read it more carefully and soaked it all in. "...An island…?" She asked, forcing her voice to remain calm. No, she was not going to show any weakness. Despite her experiences with zombies before, she needed to keep herself under control.

He nodded calmly before he looked at the others. He explained, "There's an island off the coast of Cianwood City. There have been reports of strange happenings there and people disappearing in the last few months. So, a squad was sent there to investigate. What they saw…" His voice trailed off. There was a look of horror and anguish on his face.

"All except for one was killed." Looker finished, yet even he looked sick to his stomach as well. "He's back in the infirmary with bite wounds himself."

"...Bite wounds?" Dakota's heart dropped. The seawater from the vision permeated her nose, and she could see the jungle before her eyes once more. This was no coincidence now, but what frightened her more was the sole officer.

He nodded grimly. "He managed to get back to us and said what happened, before he fell unconscious. Sweating all over and seems restless. We even had to strap him down because he got aggressive."

Now, Simon began to pale, and he locked eyes with the half-breed. "...That's not good…" He mumbled.

"What do you mean?"

"Sweating, aggressive, bitten by zombies? I've seen that before." Dakota finally admitted. "Which means we need to move. Now." She dropped the file and marched toward the stairs.

"...You think…?" Laurel started to say, before her own eyes widened in realization.

Simon did not reply, but he gave a firm nod before he made his way toward the door. "I'll need to gather my things...I'll meet you there, Kota."

Hotaru looked at him in surprise. "Wait, you two aren't going alone are you?" She asked, before she looked at Dakota. "That's crazy!"

"And not smart." Remy concluded, stepping toward the table to gather his cards. "You two are gonna get yourselves killed if you gonna go alone."

"And going by the stories of one outbreak, Dakota." Cassandra added, crossing her arms. "You barely made it out yourself. So how do you think you two can do it alone?"

"...Wait." Looker spoke up, before anyone else could. "We came for those two. The only reason I am agreeing with this is because Lance worked with them before. But the rest of you?" His gaze fell upon them, wariness within them. "...I don't think any of you should be involved in a police matter...not with a risk such as this."

Lance quickly looked at him with widened eyes. "Looker, I also agree with their friends, they shouldn't go alone. Simon and Dakota may have helped, but they were nearly killed then if they didn't have backup."

"They have us as backups! At least we are only putting two civilians in the line of fire."

Dakota had already gone halfway up the stairs before she stopped. Slowly, she turned her head and looked at her friends. He was right...there was so much risk on this mission. The report and her vision, she knew it was now another outbreak. She could not deny that, even if she did not want to believe it. The other outbreaks she found herself in, she remembered all the faces of those that died. Those she tried to protect...and those she fought along with. Fear nearly seized her body at the thought of someone else she cared for dying in such a situation. An image of Hotaru's thin form, mangled beyond recognition. Remy's throat torn out and his gaze staring at the sky with such emptiness and coldness. Yet, there was a fate worse than dying...and she could not bear to see them like that.

Her hand gripped the railing. One thought managed to break through all the what ifs and images that plagued her mind horribly. She knew of their talents. She had seen them fight and took down all kinds of enemies already. Even before she met them, she heard of their feats. They stood against dangerous foes before, and they managed to survive. Calmly, she watched each one, while Simon had stopped at the door. There was determination in their eyes, almost if they already came into an agreement without saying.

"...Dakota. Simon." Kakashi finally said. His voice was now smooth and calm, as he placed his hands in his pockets. "When are we leaving?"

There was no question of if they were going, Dakota accepted. She brought herself to look at Simon, and they stared at each other for only a few moments. Finally, he nodded, causing her to nod in return. "...Lance, go back and make sure no one goes to the officer. We need to contain this as much as possible. We'll meet you in Cianwood." She said calmly.

Relief flashed in his eyes before he quickly grabbed the file. However, Looker frowned, standing up from his seat. "Wait, why?" He asked.

"...Because that officer is infected…" She grimly admitted. "Those symptoms you mention prove it. What we need to do now is first make sure an outbreak does not happen in the city, before we take care of the outbreak on the island." When she looked at the agent, she could tell he was frustrated at the thought of civilians being involved in this, more numbers than he anticipated. She could not blame him, but he did not know them like she and Simon did. "...Agent…" She calmly said, "You're going to need all of us…"

He looked at her, still unsure and frustrated by this. "...I just hope you all know what you're getting yourselves into…"

"...More than you know...believe me. Everyone. Meet me at the portal in two hours. Give yourself time to get to your worlds and prepare."

With that, she made her way up the stairs.

**00000**

Simon Belmont had so much on his mind as he entered the armory of the Belmont Estate. His gaze was steel while his lips formed a firm line across his face. The armory was filled with many weapons, from firearms, to swords that his family had owned for many years. The words from Lance and Looker echoed in his mind, of how they were attacked from otherworldly monsters. Anguish filled his heart at the thought of the innocent lives that were lost. The island was no doubt hell on earth, and now those poor police officers lost their lives to monsters. Monsters...how many more would rise and harm the innocent people? What would it take to rid the world of them all? The instant that question entered his mind, he instantly regretted it. His fingers brushed against the metal of his family's prized weapon, while his eyes closed.

The thought was disgusting. Not all monsters were evil. That was a thought Simon changed ever since he met Dakota and the others. They were all of the same goal...to protect the innocent from those who would do them harm. Their motley crew was both human and of the supernatural, and they were fighting for the same cause. His eyes snapped open before his fingers wrapped around the hilt of his weapon...the Morningstar. While not the famed weapon he hoped to have in his possession, he was content to have the Morningstar by his side. It had not let him down before, and he imagined it would not let him down now. Afterwards, he grabbed his pistol, packed some ammo for it, and grabbed his second favorite weapon, a basket-hilted sword that was forged for his eighteenth birthday.

After he strapped it to his back, he breathed in deeply and sighed. He was a Belmont...the undead creatures would not be able to stand against him. To make it more worthwhile, he was not alone, just like his ancestors were not in the past. Suddenly, a face of a man a few years older than him came before his eyes, one with similar features to his own yet his eyes were dark brown. His lips dropped downward, but he shook his head. He could not think of him now. His focus needed to be on the mission at hand.

With a turn on his heel, he walked out the door.

**00000**

Laurel Drake knelt on top the roof of a tall building, a pair of binoculars in hand. She had it close to her face, watching a blonde hair woman in the streets below. There was a tug against her heart at the sight of her, and she felt the need to go down there, to talk to her. Yet, fear held her in place. She had not seen the woman in years, ever since she was ten. How was she supposed to approach her, after all that time? Deep within her heart, she knew she needed to keep her distance. It was the best for them both. Her own life was a mess with so many twists and turns from the choices she made. She closed her eyes for a moment, and she could see darkness before her. Within that darkness, she saw a figure, garbed in black. His cold, grey eyes bore into hers, and she could hear his words in her ears as if he stood by her now.

"_To fight the unthinkable, you have to be willing to do the unthinkable."_

It was a mantra inside her head, to keep her nerves steeled for the choice she had made. She could not go down to face her. Right now, she had undead to kill; her friends needed her more than anything now. As she put away the binoculars, she stood up and moved away from the edge of the roof. She wrapped her brunette hair into a tight bun, before she pulled out a blonde wig from her bag. She placed it on top of her head and made sure it fit before she pulled out a black domino mask to place on her face. She felt coldness in her heart, the same coldness she felt for years. In a way, she almost felt dead inside, but she needed to channel that feeling to be what she needed to be.

She was no longer Laurel Drake. She had now become Ta-er al-Sahfer once more. She was now the assassin she needed to be for this mission. Her black leather jacket hugged her muscled form, while her black halter top and black leather pants were snug against her. After she grabbed her bag, she made her way off the roof to meet with the others.

**00000**

Remy LeBeau enjoyed the sights of New Orleans but, more importantly, he enjoyed the food that it offered. He sat by a cafe with a plate of beignets before him, the smell almost intoxicating. While he always enjoyed the food from other worlds and what his friends made, the smell of home was what he wanted the most. He had to be sure his sunglasses remained on his face, to keep his eyes hidden from the people around him, however. What he was...no, who he was, made him an unwelcome member among the people. It did not bother him as it did the fellow people of his kind. At least, he would not admit to such a thing. Due to his upbringing, he used his abilities to survive in the world, even at the expense of others. His adoptive father was to be thanked for that, having him join the Thieves' Guild at such a young age.

A short sigh escaped his lips before he bit into the beignet, white powder to stick to his face. The skills he learned in that time was much needed, and it was the reason he was alive now. He would never change that for the world. What he did not appreciate was how he was used by his father for his own glory. He did not which was worse, to be treated as scum by the people or a mere tool by the man who raised him. At least with the friends he managed to gain, he could feel he was truly a part of something without feeling he was being used. Now, they were about to face something that was going to test his skills more so than he thought.

He wiped away the powder from his mouth and stood up, throwing some money on the table. There was nothing he needed to gather for himself. He had his staff and his cards, and he naturally had his own ability to depend upon. With a slight smirk on his face, he began to disappear within the crowd. "Alright, mon amis." He mumbled under his breath. "Gambit is gonna be bailing you outta trouble…"

**00000**

Cassandra Pentaghast knelt in front of a woman's statue, while the lights of the red and yellow colors hit the ground around her. Her eyes were closed with her hands in front of her, her lips moving without any sound passing by them. She kept her mind clear, focused on the words she was silently saying. Her mind, her words, and her heart focused on guidance from the Maker, for protection upon her and her friends. With the creatures they were about to face, she knew they would need it. After all the years of fighting for the Divine herself, being her Right Hand, and all the years as a Seeker, she herself knew she needed to be prepared. She had her armor, which glistened in the light, colored in black with the symbol of an eye on the front, colored in white. Her sword and shield were strapped to her back, gifts from her younger brother before his untimely death.

Anthony...how she missed him so. Her heart ached at the thought of him, and the guilt that she could not protect him. Even after all this time, it had still not left her. She thought of her friends that she had made in the past year or two, and all she could think of was how she could protect them in the way she could not protect her younger brother. They had their own lives, their own friends and family, outside of the circle they created together. She needed to be sure they were safe. More importantly, the threat that she was now about to face brought a great risk against the worlds. She had a feeling if they did not contain it now, even all the other worlds would be put at great risk of succumbing to this...this outbreak as Dakota called it.

"...Maker preserve us…" She finished before her eyes opened calmly. She grabbed her helmet and stood up to place it upon her head, her gaze hardened beneath the visor. As the Right Hand of the Divine, it was her duty to protect the people. As a friend, it was her duty to protect this circle from any harm. Whatever it took, she was going to see it through to the end.

**00000**

"...I'm back…"

Kakashi Hatake stood in front of a monument, his hands in his pockets. His visible eye stared at the names etched in the stone, a soft look within it that he managed to keep hidden so well. His face was still hidden by the mask he wore, so if anyone was in the area, they would not see his expression. They could not see the pain of guilt that panged his heart. "Naruto is still traveling with Jiraiya, Sasuke is still…" His voice trailed off for a moment, but then he sucked in a breath to calm himself. "Sakura, however, is doing well with her training. Before too long, she'll be a renowned healer. The friends I recently made this year...well, they need me against some undead. It will definitely keep me on my toes!" He chuckled softly as he spoke.

The chuckle felt hollowed, however. "...I do not know...how well I can protect them...with everything that has happened…" He admitted quietly. Slowly, he reached out and touched the stone. "I don't want to fail them too. Just as I failed to protect you...and Obito...Rin…" Then, he closed his eyes and released a sigh, shaky in form. The faces of his old comrades and his mentor appeared before him, and the pain seemed to grow in that moment. Their smiles were forever etched in his mind. His own coldness led to his own failure to protect them. He could not fail to protect his new friends now. Yet, that fear seemed to be on the front of his mind in that moment.

"...I need to get going." He removed his hands and placed them back into his pockets. "They're expecting me...if you're there...please tell me what to do…" With that, he turned and began to walk away. He pushed the fear to the back of his mind; that was the last thing he needed to think right now. He needed to focus...these zombies needed to be taken care of quickly, and the others were going to need his help to succeed. They all needed each other.

**00000**

Hotaru Tomoe checked through her backpack, making sure she had everything for the mission on hand. She made sure she had water in case of dehydration, bandages for any injuries that she could not heal completely, and other odd items she felt to bring in case they had to sleep. All of the lamps in her room was on, giving it a low illuminating glow around her. Her mind wandered to the task at hand, and she felt a chill run down her spine. She had faced youma before; that was her duty as the Guardian of Death. She needed to protect this city and her princess. If the undead somehow reached Juuban, then she and the others would be endangered. No matter what, she needed to fight to protect them.

Nonetheless, she felt a pang in her heart, one that caused her head to lower. There was a lingering thought in her mind, of her own fate. What if she did die? What then? What would happen to everyone? More importantly, what would happen to her father? If she died, he would be alone...and that possible future caused her grief. She already caused him enough grief; if she died, she knew that would kill him. Beside her, there was a picture, which showed her with a white hair man, a smile on their faces as they stood next to each other. As she gazed at it, she solemnly smiled. "Daddy…" She whispered.

No...no, she would fight to survive. She had her duty, but she still had so much to live for. She had her life ahead of her, and the friends she managed to make recently needed her as well. She pushed back her grief and her fears, and she grabbed her bag to walk out the door. "I'll be back home." She vowed. "I promise." Then, she walked out the door.

**00000**

Dakota stepped outside with a deep sigh, now garbed in her alter ego's outfit, as Halbmond. She now wore a tanktop with pants and knee-length boots, all colored in black. Even her open-finger gloves were black, as was her hooded jacket. Her jacket itself had silver zippers along it, and there was a silver chain attached to her belt. Her outfit had gone through changes over the years, ever since she took on the title of Halbmond. With this change, she wanted to represent one world she had visited and stayed for a time, where she found someone whom she managed to get very close with. Nyx...she never got a hold of him to tell him what transpired. No doubt, he was on a mission of his own, protecting the king and his family. He took that duty seriously, which she felt was very admirable. It inspired her to keep to her own duties, to always protect the innocent.

As she began to walk into the forest, her quiver attached to her back along with her bow, her twin small axes on her sides, her mind wandered more to him and the others. Jill...Chris...Claire...Leon...she wanted to tell them as well about the mission. One thing that stopped her was the same reason they sometimes did not pull her in on their missions. They had faced so many outbreaks that, despite knowing they would always be there for each other, to put each other through another one would be agony. In some ways, it also made her glad she did not get ahold of Nyx. Had she done so; he would no doubt try to join her. She vowed, since she became close with him, that would she would protect him from this horror. It already added more horrors into her life, she could not bear to do the same to him. Even her own sister came to mind, but she could not bear to lose her either.

With a deep breath, Dakota nodded and hastened her steps. Already, she could smell all the scents of her little crew, causing her to sigh. She hoped they never had to face the outbreak themselves. She trusted that they would stand a chance, but there was always that deep fear inside her. It was a nasty seed that always seemed to sprout at the worst possible moments. Quickly, she attempted to cut it down. She trusted them, and she needed to trust that they would be fine.

Finally, she reached her destination, where the other six people surrounded a pure light, tunnel-like substance. There was no color to it, and there were wisps around the entrance. All she knew about them was what she learned as a child; they were portals that were created centuries ago, during a huge war that took place. So devastating that all worlds were involved, before they became mostly separated once more. As her eyes flickered between each of them, she gave a swift nod and asked, "Ready?"

Simon nodded. "We're ready."

"...Then, let's not waste any more time." Dakota steeled her nerves, and she made her way toward the portal with vigor and determination.

They were all ready, they needed to be. Together, perhaps they would be successful with minimal casualties. It was all she could hope for.

**Now...the mission begins...what will they face when they reach Cianwood City? Find out in the next chapter! Read and Review!**


	4. Chapter Three: Deadly Arrival

**Hello everyone! A struggle with this chapter, but I have chapter three up now! Still only own Dakota Jaeger! Hope you enjoy!**

**Chapter Three: Deadly Arrival**

The moment Dakota walked through the portal, she felt a warmth rush through her body and a tingling feeling against her skin. Her steps felt light, while a bright light blinded her for a brief few moments. When her eyes adjusted to the brightness, she could see blue and yellow wisps through the air and the ground. There seemed to be nothing solid around her, which made her steps seemed to be in air itself. Thousands of portals were around her, pure white with wisps around it, giving them the air of mystique. She recalled the first time she learned of this realm, back as a child. It was a realm between worlds, a bridge that connected them altogether. While not near as old as other ancient realms, it was one she learned of the most due to the connection it had to her homeworld. The name for the realm, she was told, was Tărâmul Lumilor. She even learned of the name of the portals that were scattered around all the worlds: Ruptură. When she stepped into a ruptură, she needed to be careful to not be lost. It was so easy to do so, with the realm's connection to all the worlds in the Overworld itself.

Luckily, she had traveled through Tărâmul Lumilor so many times that she knew which rupturăs were the ones she traveled through before. She walked past several ones while her gaze flickered around her. The others kept close behind her; she could feel their presence. She was relieved they did, as she and Simon never took them to this world before. With a soft sigh, she looked around a few moments more before she finally spotted her target. From a distance, she could see images of a world filled with strange creatures. It morphed to different sceneries, such as the forests, the fields, the coast, and the mountains. Quickly, she walked toward it, and she reached out to lightly touch it. As her hand brushed against it, it felt like she touched the water's surface.

"...Alright, you guys know the drill?" Dakota asked, turning at the others.

Gambit nodded as his lips curled to a grin. "Always, chere. Dis is the part ah like of our travels to new worlds." He joked. Then, he reached toward her and added, "Alright, lets get dis show on da road!"

Simon rolled his eyes before he took his other hand. "Are we sure there is a ruptură there?" He asked, his gaze flickering toward Dakota.

She briefly returned the glance and nodded herself. "I've been through it once during one visit there. Luckily, its right by the city itself, so we won't have to travel far." She explained, taking Gambit's hand gently.

"...How has no one else stumbled upon it?" Hotaru asked curiously, while she took Kakashi's and Laurel's hands.

"It's stuck in a cavern, off the coast. So...do prepare for some swimming." With that, she closed her eyes and focused clearly on the destination in mind. She could see the cavern itself, small in size water splashing in and out. In the distance, she could hear talks of people and the sounds of fighting. Her destination in mind, Dakota opened her eyes and stepped through the reptură. A bright light covered her sight once more, but for a lesser time than it did before. Within seconds, darkness replaced most of the light, and the once airy ground beneath her feet was replaced with a rocky surface that she could barely stand on. The salty water hit her legs, and she felt it sloshed against her feet. The ceiling was somewhat low, and she had to dunk her head slightly to avoid hitting it. "Brace yourselves!" She called out in a warning tone.

Swiftly, she stepped upon the rocks and kept herself steady so she would not slip. She stepped toward the crack against the wall. It was large enough for one to squeeze through, but she hoped they would all be able to squeeze by. As she let go of Gambit's head and hastened her steps, she heard him cry out with a loud, "Ow!" She turned to face him, and she witnessed him rub his head with a groan. "Ow…"

"...I did warn you…" Dakota said, her lips curled upward to a grin.

"You coulda warn better, chere." He deadpanned. "Some of us ain't short as you."

That caused her eyes to narrow, her eyes glowing amber for a moment. A growl rumbled from her throat while her face fell flatly. "REALLY, Remy?" She asked dryly. Of all the time to mention her own height, he had to choose now? He simply threw her a toothy grin and folded his arms over his chest. His eyes lit up, as if to say "it's the truth, suck it up". She really hoped he could not fit through the crack.

"Come on, Remy, now is not the time!" Simon retorted from behind as he pushed Gambit forward slightly. His voice was slightly raised, almost exasperated.

"Guys, I rather not be stuck here for long!" cried out Laurel.

"Keep moving!" Cassandra added.

Dakota shook her head for a moment before she turned to the crack. She began to push herself through it, almost with ease due to her petite form. The waves brushed against her leg even more, before she managed to get out and faced a vast range of the deep blue sea. She breathed in the salty air and headed toward the coast to her right, which was luckily only a few steps away. When she faced the coast and the city before, an eerie feeling fell upon her. The usual chatter and fighting was not there. Her heart raced in fear at the sudden thought that something had happened in the two hours they took to prepare themselves and rejoined. She hurried onto the shoreline and moved toward the city. It was still small as she remembered it, with one large building towering over it all. It was the size of a stadium, which made sense for what it was used for...to battle against one of the leaders of Johto.

Her gaze flickered around, and she noticed a crowd not far ahead. Her eyes widened slightly before she turned to face the crack. Gambit had managed to squeeze through, same as Simon, before they joined her, panting. Laurel slid through the crack herself, grunting slightly. "Alright firefly…" She said, turning to face the crack.

Dakota nodded softly before she turned to look at the crowd, while Simon spoke up, "You don't think that guy Looker spoke of turned, do you?"

"...Pray that he didn't…" She mumbled, gulping. Again, she saw the image of people with decaying skin, gray in color, while their eyes were milky white. Cold. Dead. Her body shuddered as she closed her eyes for a moment. She fought back against the memories, the fear that built inside her, in hopes to keep herself focused for the mission.

"...Keep steady, Kota."

Her eyes shot open in shock before she glanced to the left, where Kakashi stood, his calm gaze meeting hers. She stared at him for a few moments before she sighed deeply and nodded. He was right, she needed to keep steady. She forced herself to focus on the mission at hand; with swift steps, she made her way toward the crowd. Her nose twitch at the different scents that hit her, but she took note of one particular scent...the scent of decay. Her stomach twisted itself in knots as her steps became quicker. Something was wrong, she could sense it, and that sense became stronger as the smell became stronger. The chatter conveyed her own feelings, only there was a mix of confusion within it. There were merely whispers, while some strained themselves to see what occurred.

Dakota wasted no time to push through them, despite the protests a couple individuals made. Once she reached the front, she noticed a group of police officers who blocked the crowd from moving any further. "Stay back!" One ordered, before his gaze fell upon her and she pushed her back gently. "You too! You need to stay back!"

Her lips pursed together. She attempted to stand on her toes to see what happened, moving her head to look passed him. The police station seemed intact, but the entrance was blocked with two creatures standing in front. From what she could see, they appeared to be Machop and a Growlithe-Pokemon. The smell of decay resonated from there, and she heard the growls from the small dog creature. When she spotted Lance, who was talking to one cop, her eyes widened. "Lance!" She called out.

Lance turned to face her. The stress on his face was quite visible, almost screaming, but relief tried to permeate through it. He hurried toward her and placed his hand on the cop's shoulder. "She's with me." He reassured him. Then, he looked at her and asked, "Kota, where's your friends?"

"Coming up now." She explained. "Lance, what's going on?" Dakota looked around the area, but there was no other familiar sight. An unsettling feeling settled in her stomach. "...Lance…?"

He seemed hesitant to answer. His gaze shifted downward while his cape fell passed his arms. Dakota did not like that, and the twisting in her stomach became worse. When he looked at her, he replied quietly, "The cop who came back...him and his Pokemon changed...they began to attack. They managed to kill a few of our officers, and then Agent Looker suddenly locked the place down. I tried to go in, but...he told me to stand down..." There was anguish in his gaze, regret and guilt that he obeyed such a command.

"..." Her body froze as her eyes widened. Her mouth was dry, and she could see the images again. It lasted for a few moments before she shook her head. "How long?" She said, in a forced calm voice.

"...Since we got back…"

"Nearly two hours ago then?" Simon stepped beside her, his own expression frozen in shock. When Lance nodded, he exhaled loudly as his gaze turned to face her. "...Kota?"

Dakota licked her lips for a moment before she walked forward. "Simon, only me and you go in. We should be able to contain this easily. We go in, get all of the survivors out...we make sure the infection doesn't spread." She replied.

"What about us?" Gambit asked, quirking an eyebrow. "You two goin' in alone is stupid."

"...If all of us go in there, going all out, we'll be risking a lot of lives, including our own." She explained. "...You guys remain out here and make sure none of them get out. We need to make sure none can get out. Once we're inside, you need to barricade the doors."

Cassandra joined them with the others, before she looked over the building. "...And if you two go in alone, you are putting more of a risk on yourselves to being killed."

"...Better that risk than risking this city." Dakota shuddered at the thought of one escaping. All it took was one to cause an outbreak; tales and her own experience taught her that.

Hotaru turned her gaze toward the building as well, her lips forming a frown. With a small gulp, but her gaze turned into determination, she looked at the two and nodded. "I can help heal any of the injure you bring out. If any of them are infected, it might keep the virus at bay."

"This also might be a time to bring in your friends." Kakashi spoke up. "At least for the back up and any vaccines they have."

Her gaze lowered for a moment. The vaccines...last she heard, there were many in storage, yet only a few allowed to be used for a time. She felt aggravated that she already told herself that she was not going to drag her other friends in, and now she had to. However, with the plans now altered by this new development, he brought up a good point. Right now, Cianwood City needed all the help they could get, to make sure they stayed safe. She gave a soft nod before she turned to Laurel and tossed her phone toward her. "Call Jill...let her know what is going on. See if she can get a few vaccines here."

Laurel caught the phone with ease before she nodded and replied, "On it! You two just be careful, or else I am busting in and saving your asses!"

"...We'll be fine, Laurel." Simon said, rolling his eyes. "...Come on…"

Dakota exhaled softly and pulled out her bow. "Let's do it quickly. We still have an island to take care of…" The island...two areas of undead was not how she wanted this day to go. With her grip tightened, she stepped toward the door. "Ready?" She asked, glancing at him.

He calmly pulled out his handgun. "Let's get this over with…"

With that, she pushed open the door with ease and quickly stepped in. The lobby was a clear mess, no doubt from the scramble of the attack. The desk and chair were thrown to the side while papers covered the ground, along with dirt from the broken pottery of the plants. There were footprints embedded in the dirt, spreading it further along the lobby. In addition, glass from the lightbulbs littered the ground, which cracked under Dakota's feet as she walked forward. Outside of their footsteps, there was no sound. She could smell rotted flesh and blood all around her, while her body shivered. Was it fear, or was it a warning of the danger ahead? Deep down, she accepted both of them as the reason.

She breathed in deeply before she scanned the surrounding. Her bow was gripped tightly, while her body was arched forward slightly, ready to strike if need be. She sniffed the air once more, and her head toward the left. There was a group of scents that stood out from the death around her. However, her face fell at the scent of fresh blood that was mixed within it. "Sh…" She cursed under her breath. Someone was hurt...which meant they needed to move even quicker. Carefully, but quickly, she moved toward the door and opened it.

There was a couple bodies on the ground, while there was blood stained against the ground. Amongst the people, she could see one Pokemon on the ground, a black furred canine with curved horns on top of its head. Dakota's stomach twisted again, but she steadied herself, before she began to walk forward. Cautiously. "...Three dead on the ground…" She whispered. "One's a Pokemon…"

"...Great…" Simon mumbled sarcastically.

"...Could be worse…?" She slowly replied, her voice quiet while she tried to sound lighthearted. However, she remained calm, and her gaze kept on on the bodies. Her breath seemed stuck in her throat, but she carefully stepped around them. The skins were pale with a grey tint to it. On one body, there seemed to be a gaping hole on his neck, while the other seemed untouched. The Pokemon was another who did not look different, but its mouth was open, its teeth shown. "...I hate zombies…" She mumbled softly.

Suddenly, her foot touched a hand, and she shivered. "...IT'S TOUCHING ME…" She groaned.

Simon snorted, while he kept his gun pointed toward the bodies. "Way to kill the tension…" He joked, flashing her a grin.

Dakota rolled her eyes before she finally made it passed them. The light flickered on and off above them, as if whatever fight ensued in the building had harmed the electricity. With boards on the windows, there was barely any sunlight coming through. If the lights went out...she did not want to be fighting the zombies in the darkness. She kept moving through the hallway, her teeth chewing on her bottom lip. The scents became stronger as she honed in on them, and then she came by several doors and a wider part of the hall. Suddenly, she heard munching sound...and the shiver she felt before intensified.

As she looked ahead, she noticed more bodies, only they appeared to be mauled. Blood splattered all around the floor and walls, while the bodies were chewed up. One of them even looked to had his organs ripped out of his stomach. The killer was not a human zombie, she noticed. No...it was a Pokemon...a Growlithe whose fur was matted down in blood. There was a chunk of flesh missing from its legs, while its tailed seemed to be ripped. From what she could tell about its face, it seemed to be missing flesh there as well. Her stomach churned again. Silently, she sighed and went to pull out an arrow. When she placed it upon her bow and drew back, she went to aim straight for the head for a quick kill. Luckily for her, it did not seem to hear her. Grateful for the mindless part of a zombie, she focused a strange energy upon the arrow, which glowed a silvery blue, and then released it.

True to its target, the arrow embedded itself into the Growlithe's head, and it fell the ground with a slight cry. Dakota's lips curled into a grin of satisfaction. Then, as soon as the feeling hit her, it went away the moment another one growled from the room beside the carnage. "Shit!" She cursed. She pulled out another arrow as soon as the other Growlithe ran out. Before she could strike, it opened its mouth and launched a huge burst of flames toward her. What caught her off guard was not the fact it could still use its abilities. Oh no, she had an inkling feeling it might. What she did not realize was the explosion that came with it, which sent her flying back. She felt her feet leave the ground, before she landed and rolled several times. A cry of pain left her lips as she felt intense heat. Flames lingered against her outfit, but she managed to quickly pat them away.

"Dakota!" Simon cried out. Without wasting a moment, he took aim and fired shots at the Growlithe. It cried out as blood poured from the wounds, and then one shot went through its nose. The effects of the bullets, blessed with holy water, took effect quickly to kill the creature, while the final shot helped finished it off. Once it fell to the ground, he rushed toward Dakota and helped her sit up. "Are you okay?!" He asked, his eyes flashing in deep concern.

Dakota nodded with a groan. "Yeah, I'm fine…" She said, before she pushed herself to her feet. "Okay...I...was not expecting that…" Her dark brown orbs fell upon the two Pokemon, and the carnage before her, and it was all she could do to keep herself steady. "This...if this is a taste of what's going to be on that island…"

Simon did not reply. He did not need to. Both of them looked at each other, and they came to the same conclusion. The island was going to be true hell with the Pokemon no doubt infected there...and how many it possibly could be. After another moment and she felt her burns ease away slowly, she grabbed her discarded bow and quickly moved forward. They could not stand another moment longer. They had to find the other survivors quickly and get them out. One thing that scared her...were they still even alive?

She could not think of that. She did not have time to, when she heard more moans and growls. Dakota's head shot up as she looked around. "There's a few more…" She whispered. "Pokemon and human alike."

"Maybe we need to split off…?" Simon glanced at her, while his grip on his handgun tightened.

"...No...we stick together. We watch each other's back." She looked at him. "If we split up, then the zombies have a better chance of killing us."

He sighed as he looked back at the hallway, where the bodies still laid. "Well...just to be sure…" He suddenly fired shots at them. "JUST IN CASE."

Dakota chuckled before she sniffed the air. "Come on…" She then walked ahead as she looked around. She made sure she held an arrow in hand, readying her bow. When she passed by one door, she focused on the scents...but nothing. So, she kept moving and kept on the trail; then, she heard a soft banging. When she turned around the corner, she noticed a zombie beating against a door, trying to break through. Quickly, she took aim and placed her energy within the arrow, before she launched it through it's neck. It created a hole, but all the zombie did was cease its banging and turned toward her.

The sight of its white, milky color eyes made her tremble slightly. For a moment, her mind drifted to the time she first met such a gaze. The chills it gave her, and the fear that gripped her heart with cold fingers. She pursed her lips together, and she quickly fired another into its head. This time, he fell to the ground. With a sigh, she hurried forward to the door; however, when she went to open it, it seemed to not budge. Her eyes widened. "Agent Looker?" She called out. "Agent Looker, are you in there?"

There was a gasp of pain, followed by, "In here…"

"How many officers are with you?" She hastily asked, relief washing over her.

"...Four…" There was a grimace. "Move the furniture!"

Within the next few moments, she heard feet movements on the other side, before there was the movement of furniture. There were scrapes against the ground, the sounds muffled from the door and walls. Afterwards, the door opened, where she came face-to-face with a female officer. There was a terrified look in her eyes, while she looked around. Dakota placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she hurried inside. The room had several desks with one by the door; no doubt it was the one used as barricade. As her eyes scanned the area, she found the other three officers near Looker, who sat against the wall. Sweat poured down his face as he gripped his arm, where crimson blood poured from it.

Her eyes widened before she hurried toward him. She knelt down and examined the wound. "You okay?" She asked.

"Peachy." He groaned. "The officer...he was the one who bit me...his Pokemon...his Pokemon had bitten the others…" There was a weak look in his eyes, due to the blood loss, but she knew another reason. The pale skin, the sweat, his eyes...the color from her face drained. "...That bad?" He asked, noticing the look.

Dakota said nothing. She grabbed his arms, saying, "C'mon…" She helped him to his feet, before she looked at everyone. Her own sickness was pushed back, now focused more than ever. She needed to get Looker help, before the virus took over. "...We're getting out."

Before they began to move, there was an inhumane growl. Her eyes widened as she turned her head at the other door, where it rattled. "Dammit…Simon!" She hastily said. No..no there was no way...

Simon hurried inside, his eyes widened as he looked around. "Kota, what's wrong?" He asked.

"...Our problems...they just got bigger…" If they got bigger now...she did not want to know how the island would be...if they survived this.

**What is behind the door you ask?...You'll see...thanks for the support guys! Read and Review!**


	5. Chapter Four: Grim Encounter

**Sorry for the delay guys! Vacation and writer's block happened in the last few weeks, but I got something out! Just hope you guys enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except for this plot and Dakota Jaeger…and my own take of Simon Belmont.**

**Chapter Four: Grim Encounter**

The growls grew louder. Chills rushed down Dakota's spine. They were coming fast, and with an injured member, they were were now going to be tough to fight. She pressed her hand against Looker's wound as she listened harder. There were sounds of rustling feet, and they were heading in their direction. She felt her heart hammered against her chest, while her breath quickened. It WAS them...somehow, the virus had gotten stronger, or the strain that evolved them had been strengthened. She did not know; right now, she did not care to know. Fear was the main thing she felt, and now she needed to get Looker and the others out as fast as possible.

With a gulp, she whispered, "Simon, I need you to get Looker to Hotaru. Her healing may slow the process until we give him a vaccine."

"...Kota-" However, when he noticed the look she sent his way, Simon's face became serious. "...If you're sure. I'll get them out, but I am coming back, you hear me?"

"Crystal."

Suddenly, the growls and harsh moans became louder. One of the officers jumped back in fear, screaming. When Dakota turned toward the other door, a bloodied zombie, with long sharp claws, lunged forward. Its speed was greater than a normal zombie, and its swipe was stronger, with more power behind it. Immediately, she grabbed its wrists, managing to remain on her feet. It wanted her flesh, to feast upon it, and it tried to reach toward her neck. Swiftly, she kicked its knee to take it out before she raised her hand back. Her own long, sharp claws formed from her fingers, and she stabbed it in the head. It fell down, a pool of blood now underneath it. However, another had came in behind it, but she dunk in time for Simon to fire a bullet through its skull. Still, there were more.

Dakota cursed before she looked at Simon, shouting, "Go now!"

Gun still in hand, he nodded as he looked at the officers. "Keep your hand on his wound!" He ordered. "Follow me closely!"

They nodded, still shaking, before they did as they were told. Once they were leaving out, Dakota sighed softly and rushed out the door. She had to make sure there were no more zombies in the station. A dreadful feeling swelled inside her, if she did not look through the whole area. Images of a burning city, filled with the song of the dead, came to mind. Her body shook as they became vivid, and she could almost imagine Cianwood City in the same condition. She shook her head in attempt to get the images out. No...she could not focus on that now. She was NOT going to allow it to happen. Her steps became quicker while she pulled out an arrow. When she noticed another bloodied zombie, she stopped and fired an arrow at its head. Immediately, it dropped dead, but three more took its place.

Dakota took a step back as her eyes widened, but she steeled her nerves and pulled out another arrow. She took out one before she turned to fire another arrow. This time, she hit it in the neck, and blood drizzled from the wound as it stumbled forward. Releasing the breath she held, she turned her attention to the last zombie. It had already gotten closer to her, and she had to dunk from its lunge. She pulled out one of her tomahawk axes, and she slashed it at the kneecap. With her strength, she managed to take off the leg, and she had to move away before it fell on top of her.

When it landed on the ground, she took her axe and swiftly beheaded it. She began to take deep breaths, her gaze upon the body. She soon looked at the others, gulping slowly. She hoped there were no more of these things...and she felt lucky they were not in a group. If they were, despite her own Lycan strength, she knew they would cause damage. She recalled the same thing before, when she first met them. The name came to mind so clearly, as if she always fought them. Yet, this was the first time she had seen them in years, when she remembered when this all started. The inhumane growls rang vividly in her ears, as they once chased after her in a stronger urge for her flesh. The blood that covered their bodies, making them completely red. Their rotted flesh making their own bodies appeared even more corrupted. More dead. Their milky eyes seemed even whiter amongst the crimson red. Her body shuddered again as she shut her eyes. She could still see their faces...their names…

Crimson Heads.

That was they called them, in their own reports of the experiments. She felt sickened that they would even call these experiments a work for science, to make stronger and more capable people. She also had to laugh at the irony of the destruction they caused...how their own work failed so spectacularly in a sense. A sickened feeling twisted in her stomach once more, before she released a sharp breath. Finally, she managed to push herself to her feet. She picked up her axe, wiped off the blood, and then continued down the hallway. The lights continued to flicker overhead. That did not help the eerie feeling, the sickened feeling in the pit of her stomach. For a moment, she thought she saw found herself in a familiar hallway. The rugs damped and worn, covered in dry blood. There were even some splattered on the walls. The lights flickered slightly then too, while lightning flashed outside and thunder cracked.

Quickly, she shook her head. "Snap out of it, Kota…" She whispered quietly. With a quick shake of her head, she managed to see reality, the true hallway. There were more doors, more opportunities of other zombies. She sniffed the air and kept a lookout for any signs. She could still smell the blood around her, and she heard more moans around her. There could not have been many more, but she wondered how many Pokemon had been infected. She pulled out another arrow and calmly glanced in one room. It was an interrogation room, yet it was empty, causing relief. She sighed softly and looked down the hallway once more. She recalled Lance saying most of the police officers got out...perhaps she did not have to deal with much more?

One could only hope. Dakota licked her lips gently and continued. Suddenly, she heard a growl, but it was neither human or even a zombie. Not a humanoid one anyway. She could not recognize the sounds, but she knew what it was. It was a Pokemon. Her grip on her bow and arrow tightened before she readied it for an attack. She had to be prepared, she needed to be alert. She looked behind for a moment to make sure nothing snuck toward her. Then, there was another growl. She gulped quietly. Whatever it was, it was coming closer, and it was moving quick. She stopped in her tracks and readied her arrow, her gaze focused upon where she knew it would appear.

...At least, she figured on one. She did not figure on four Growlithes to run toward her. They seemed bigger than the last one she fought. Their furs were matted with blood, having already feasted upon a body elsewhere. The middle one did seem to be the largest in size, and its skull was seen easily, all the way down the side of its face. It allowed her to see its teeth bared with ease, as it growled at her with a dead tone to it. Fur appeared to be either scorched or torn from its body, while its tail was completely missing. Another one, who was on the left, stood with a limp. No doubt, something tried to fight it and broke its leg, with a piece of the bone protruding out of the skin. The fur on its tail was now gone, and all she could see was bloodied flesh.

Her eyes widened slightly in shock before she fired the shot, managing to hit one in the eye. However, one of the rushed toward her in attempt to crunch down on her neck. Her weapons dropped to the ground as she stumbled backwards, grabbing the Growlithe to keep it from her. She was surprised by its strength, and the sudden movement nearly knocked her down. Focusing on her own strength, Dakota managed to push it off, but she only had a moment to react to the flames that rushed toward her. She dunk down, pulling out her axes. When one of the Growlithes ran toward her, she swiftly rolled away and swung down, only it managed to move away. Before she could move her arm back, it managed to bite down on her arm, and she felt the intense heat of flames against her flesh.

Dakota felt it...the intense pain from the bite, the fire, and the virus that now entered her bloodstream. Already, her body worked to repair itself, fighting back against the virus itself. She gritted her teeth, growling out in pain, but she did not try to cry out. If she did, and the others managed to hear, she knew they would run in. She could not allow that. She used this opportunity to take off the Growlithe's head before she tossed it on the ground. Skin, piece of her jacket, and flesh tore away from her. Blood spurted on the ground, and she gripped it tightly, causing her blood to mix with Looker's from earlier. Swiftly, she pushed herself to her feet and grabbed her bow, while the rest growled at her. She needed to gain some distance, so she turned around and began to run down the hallway.

She heard them run after her, barking and growling. When she glanced behind her, she noticed a burst of flames rushing toward her. She cursed under her breath; however, before she could dunk, she felt the flames hit her. It launched her forward, adding more burns on her previous ones, as she landed and slid on the ground. This time, she could not hold back the cry that managed to escape her lips. The burning sensation on her back was intense, like the fire was held tightly against it. She managed to remove her jacket and quiver, and she turned down a corner. She stopped for a moment, and her gaze fell upon her arm. It was slowly patching itself up, and she felt a weird, itchy feeling as the skin slowly reattached. Blood still poured from it, so she had to keep a hand on the wound. Pain still shot through her body, and her arm felt on fire around the wound due to the virus. She knew her body was still fighting it; it was one of the perks she saw with her healing factor. It helped her fight the viral attacks, but she knew it would not work if they managed to get her again.

Dakota sighed sharply and pulled her jacket toward her, where she tore off a long piece at the end to wrap around her arm swiftly. Her teeth gritted together from the pain, but she tried not to focus on it. Once she tightened it, she stood up and turned with her axes. She needed to finish them off and fast. Calmly, she breathed. She focused on her energy—her aura—and channeled it through her body. A silvery blue wisp surrounded her as she felt it come to life within her. Calmly, she focused on her axes, where the energy transferred to. Her body felt lighter, more alive than before as the energy flowed through her veins. She twirled one axe in her hand and, when one of the Growlithe came into view, she swung it down to slash its neck. There was a deep gash on his neck, but he turned to release a burst of flames at her. This time, she managed to dunk down and lunge forward. With her weapon, she stabbed it in the head, causing it to give a quick yelp and fall down, dead. She pulled it out and turned around, where the rest were coming in.

Her eyes narrowed, focused now. A growl rumbled from her throat as she felt her mind roam. Something else came alive...something to tell her to fight, to kill. She knew what it was: her predatory mind. She released a small sigh before she ran forward. More flames came her way, but she pressed herself against the wall to dodge them. Then, the largest of the remaining growled dangerously, before it launched another flame burst; this time, it was in the shape of a kanji symbol. Dakota could not dodge it in time, but she managed to focus on her aura to form a sort of body shield. When the attack smashed into her and sent her flying back, she felt no pain, no burns. She managed to keep her feet against the ground, and she dug her axe downward to slow down. She looked up with another growl, but then she noticed something to the side...a vending machine.

Suddenly, an idea formed into her mind before she glanced back. There were three Growlithes left, including the largest one, she thought. She did not have her bow and arrows on her for long range attacks, which would have been her ideal choice of fighting in the moment. However, she knew she needed to slow them down...distract them enough for her to finish them off. All three pairs of eyes watched her, growling once more. She could tell they were getting ready for another flame attack. Without wasting any time, Dakota quickly threw her axes toward them before she dashed toward the vending machine. One of the axes managed to land against one of their faces, but the other blast the other axe away while the largest ran forward. Dakota paid no mind, and she easily brought the machine to the ground before she pushed it forward.

For a human, pushing such a thing would have been difficult. For her, it was like she was pushing a semi empty box. She used her feet to propel herself forward, and she managed to slam the vending machine against one of the Growlithes, smashing it against the wall. She had it pinned down as it struggled to break free, so she used her claws to stab it in the head with a powerful strike. Blood dripped down as it slumped down with a thud. She could not relax, however, as she noticed the largest was not caught. Quickly, she turned around, and she just managed to grab it in time when it made a lunge to bite her. Her legs hit the machine, causing her to fall back and land on the other Growlithe. Her back screamed in pain from the burns, even as she felt the burnt patches repair itself, and she gritted her teeth. She kept it back with one hand on its throat, as it snapped at her. Its claws wildly scratched her skin, where fresh blood began to seep through.

Dakota managed twisted her body around and threw it to the ground. As she pushed herself onto her feet, she summoned her claws and focused her aura through them. The Growlithe stood up and growled, its mouth opened with flames conjuring inside it, ready to fire. She was ready for it. Suddenly, she noticed something different. A heat radiated from the breaths it exhaled, intense as the flames it unleashed. When it unleashed a burst of hot breath, remisenting a heatwave, it was all she could do to dodge it. She jumped on top of the vending machine before she grabbed the light fixture above her to escape another burst of flames. With an intense growl, she pulled it down before she went to smash it against the Growlith.

It yapped out and landed on the ground, so she took this opportunity to lunge forward and stabbed it in the head with her claws. Just as she did, she did not see its mouth open again and hit her with another flame burst. It fell down dead...she cried out as it hit her upper chest and neck. There were now more intense burns on her body, and she rolled on the ground while she patted her chest to douse the flames. "Damn!" She cursed. Quickly, she pushed herself up and leaned against the wall, gasping for breath through the pain.

Part of her had to laugh at the irony of all this. She prepared for an intense mission on the island with undead, but she was now facing an intense encounter before even getting there. For a moment, she closed her eyes. There was nothing around her, so she took the moment to breathe, to allow her wounds to heal some. The skin stitched itself back together; she could feel it. She felt it reattach together while she felt more itching sensation. It came with the healing process. Every time she gained a wound, her healing factor would kick in. It always took time, and the wound could only be so deep before it had a hard time to heal. Slowly, her gaze fell upon her arm, before she slowly removed the bandage. She could see where it was halfway closed now. Her skin did not looked to be inflamed as it was before.

Relief washed over her. The virus was being killed out of her system. She knew it needed more time before she was completely cleansed, which meant she had to be careful for the next coming minutes. Thirty, if she counted it right? The wound itself would be healed before then. With a sigh, she leaned her head back. "I'm sorry…" She whispered. She had no clue why she was apologizing, or to who. The people who died, as well as the Pokemon? It made the only logical sense. What for? Sometimes, not even she knew why she said those words, when she knew she did nothing wrong to them. Still, she wanted to...someone needed to.

"Hey Kota!"

Dakota looked up quickly, as she heard footsteps heading her way. Simon's scent hit her nostrils, and she remembered what he said. He was coming back in. Slowly, she smiled softly and chuckled. She felt relief once more. "...Over here!" She called out, but she winced in pain from her wounds. "I'm over here!" Her teeth gritted together, she pushed herself up, making her way toward her jacket and quiver. Luckily, her quiver was still intact, albeit with burn holes on the side.

Finally, Simon appeared out of the corner, spotting her and sighing quietly. "There you are…" He said, before he looked down at the corpses. "...I saw your other handiwork...this is yours too?" He asked, though he knew better than to ask.

"...You could say that." She said, before she looked around the area. "Looker is with Hotaru now?"

He nodded as he replied, "Yeah...she's healing him now...poor guy doesn't know what to think of that." His lips curled upward slightly, but it instantly went away as he noticed her wounds. "Hey…" He stepped forward, looking her over. "...You okay?"

Her eyes fell upon her body, looking at it carefully. "...Hurts like hell…" She admitted it, while she smiled gently. "Its healing. One of them did get lucky with a bite, but…"

His eyes narrowed slightly when he heard that, but he sighed as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You sure…?" He asked.

"...Simon...I'll be okay." Dakota could see the concern in his eyes, about her wellbeing. She knew if the roles were reversed, she would have been concerned herself. All she could do was pat his arm as reassurance. They have known each for long enough, words did not always needed to be said. With her longtime friends, it always reached that point, where words no longer needed to be said. Suddenly, she winced again from the pain, but she ignored it. "...Come on...let's get going."

His eyes looked her over once more, but he nodded and let her go. "How many more?" He asked, looking around again.

"Shouldn't be much more. We just need to hurry and finish it." She then put her jacket and quiver back on, before she went to pick up her axes.

Once they finished, made sure everyone was okay, they needed to leave. That was their main goal...to get to the island and finished this, before it spread. The one question she had to wonder was...who brought the virus here? Who came from the world she lived on for so long to bring the virus here?

Part of her had to ponder that question...another...almost knew who it was. She just hoped she was wrong.

**Well, there we go. Honestly, I did not want to stick to the police station too long…used as a way to show what they are going to face. Believe me…answers and more intense fights are coming your way! Read and Review!**


	6. Chapter Five: The Uncertainty

**Chapter Five: The Uncertainty**

Kakashi Hatake had seen many things in his life that were not the norm for most people. He was a shinobi since childhood, who went to fight to protect his village, Konohakagure. Within the last year, ever since he befriended otherworlders, he saw things that conflicted with his own norm. He saw creatures that were part of nightmares that unnerved even him, but he managed to keep it hidden. Even now, in a situation where one of his friends showed great fear, he could not show his own for the sake of the crowd. As he stood before them, he could see their fear and concern. None of them knew what to do, and their emotions escalated when Simon came out with Agent Looker. The shinobi did his best to calm them, speaking gently and keeping them away from the scene. The last thing anyone needed was a crowd full of panicked people. If they did...he could imagine the carnage it would cause, and it would make Dakota's and Simon's job harder inside the station. He also knew that, even after this, they still had one more place to cleanse.

The island.

He had to admit, he was more concerned with the island than the station. While he knew the zombies in such close capacity to a city was a recipe for disaster, the island was the source for an even grander disaster. He had to even think...what if Cianwood City was not the only one facing such a problem? What if other port cities nearby faced the same problem? It was that uncertainty that worried him, and it was why he wanted to go to the island as quickly as possible. What they were doing now was attacking a symptom; they needed to go straight toward the sickness itself. A silent sigh escaped from his lips, but he kept all his thoughts and concerns to himself. Slowly, he glanced toward his other friends, where he witnessed their own actions.

Gambit examined the outside of the police station with a careful gaze. A thief such as himself had a sharp gaze that allowed him to look for any kind of opening. If the zombies attempted to escape, he had a card on standby for a quick solution. Kakashi was impressed with his power and his skills, and his attitude was quite contagious. Another one with a similar contagious attitude was Laurel; however, she seemed to have flipped a mental switch. She was far more serious as she remained on the phone with either Chris or Jill. She kept her distance from the others, pacing while glancing toward them every three seconds. He did not dare leave his position to ask her about the conversation, but he assumed that the vaccines would arrive within minutes. Nothing on her face told him that it was not the case, which meant that Looker would be given a vaccine shortly.

When he glanced in his general direction, he saw Hotaru by his side, her hands upon his bite wound. He was in the same mindset of the others; she was the most innocent of the seven. Her gentleness, yet her fierceness in fights, reminded him of an old friend. All he could do was strain a small smile when the thought crossed his mind, but he always felt a pang within his heart. It served as a reminder of his own failure, and it was all he could do to hide it whenever he was around her. Despite it all, he was proud of her own willingness to help in any way she could, especially when she quickly stepped forward to heal Looker. Slowly, he tore his gaze away and watched the crowd once more. He could not focus on his failure right now. He needed to be the man everyone needed to be...Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Nin of Konoha.

"I do not like this. This is just as unnerving as fighting abominations and demons."

Kakashi's lips twitched upward as his visible eye lit up with warmth at the familiar voice. When he turned his head, he noticed Cassandra at his side, her arms folded over her chest. Her sharp gaze remained on the crowd, and he could see her own concern along the edges of her face. Yet, to the untrained eye, one could see her as a knight willing to protect those in need, without fear or worry in her being. If there was anyone he admired the most in their motley crew, it was her. She was like in him in many ways, all he ever wanted to do was admire her for it. Yet, to see her like this, he did not want her to be. Flashing his usual eye-smile, he said, "I don't believe there is anything to worry about, Cassandra-san. So far, none of these things have escaped, and Dakota-san and Simon-san are finishing up inside the station as we speak." His tone was lighthearted, in hopes to ease her tension, yet all it did was remind him of his own concern.

Her gaze met his, her lips drooping more. "Even then...the island itself is another problem to contend with, once we resolve this issue. Do not tell me you have not thought of the same, Kakashi."

"...That there may be other potential areas dealing with the same problem?" He asked. So, she was thinking the same, he realized.

"Exactly so. We were lucky they managed to contain this until we arrived, and we also have Jill and Chris arriving with those...vaccines." She replied. "What I pray is that we are even luckier and this is the only area affected by this crisis."

He was silent for a moment, before his gaze flickered toward the building, where two of his friends were. He and Cassandra were definitely on the same wavelength about this, and he had to wonder if the others were as well. Dakota...he believed it was in the back of her mind, yet her own thoughts were scrambled enough with the mere mention of these monsters. Slowly, he responded, "...I have to agree...and knowing the others, we may be checking other areas at some point. Make sure they are safe. Dakota may not have mentioned it now, but she will. If she doesn't, Simon might."

"...And if they do not, we will."

"Well, aren't we the ones to help them think if they cannot?" Kakashi's tone took a lighthearted tone for a moment, as he flashed an eye-smile her way. "That is our job. And I would hate to see any opinions of yours to go to waste, Cassandra-san."

When she looked at him, Cassandra merely rolled her eyes and groaned. "How flattering."

He simply chuckled. Oh, how he enjoyed to get those types of reactions from her…and he enjoyed it more when he would notice the very subtle twitch of her lips. To the untrained eye, no one would catch it. He did, warming his own heart considerably. Suddenly, he heard a sudden cry and excessive talking as everyone's attention turned toward the police station. Swiftly, he turned to face the entrance, where he noticed Dakota and Simon, surrounded by other officers. Two more officers were with them, white as sheets. Relief flashed from his visible eye as he sighed deeply. He looked at his comrade briefly before he began to make his way toward them. That was when he noticed that, while Simon appeared to be uninjured, Dakota held her arm, which seemed to be bandaged. This, truth be told, did not surprise him, but his eye did narrow at her body language. Did she…?

Pushing it out of his mind, he pushed his way through the crowd to reach them. "Well now, you two seem to have fared well." He said casually, glancing between the two. "...Is it cleared now?"

Dakota looked at him, and he could see it. The haunting in her eyes. Her face was stone-like, but she could not hide the fact she was affected by what she saw. It brought back the reaction she had in her cabin, and he understood it even more. She was the type to hide her fears that affected her deeply, though he admitted that she was quite bad at it. This was the only moment he could say she was hiding it quite well. Swiftly, she gave a nod as she said, "Yeah, we cleared it now. Made sure a lot of the bodies were burnt, so they wouldn't come back again."

That caused him to arch an eyebrow. "They are known to do that?"

"On one incident, yeah. Whoever is behind the attack here, they made sure to enhance the T-Virus enough to bring them back stronger after the first kill. We used to call them Crimson Heads."

"Lovely name." Cassandra said dryly, arriving beside them.

"How is Agent Looker and the other officers?" Simon asked.

When Kakashi glanced at him, he noticed he seemed slightly exhausted, but he was much calmer than Dakota. Kakashi summarized it was due to his constant training and stories of the Belmont family. No doubt he built himself to always remain calm and steeled his emotions against the ghastly sights he faced. If there was any kind of emotion he showed, it was conviction to save the people from this threat. Conviction, he believed, all of them shared. Calmly, he replied, "Hotaru is with him, taking care of his wound. He is a fighter, that's for sure. Laurel got in touch with Chris and Jill, so they should be here soon with the vaccines."

Dakota sighed softly, her eyes closed. "Good...that's good…"

"..." His gaze fell down to her arm, and he saw the dried blood against the bandage. "A bit reckless in there?" He asked, before he took her arm to examine it closely. That was when he noticed she flinched, both from pain and worry. That piqued his suspicion even further. When he unwrapped it, he froze when he recognized the type of wound it was. A bite wound. Quickly, he looked at her and asked, "Dakota, what happened?"

"...Before you freak out," She hastily said, shaking her head as she looked at him. "My healing factor almost has it out. It's just...taking its time healing this completely!"

"Are we sure of that?" Cassandra hissed, giving her a firm look. Normally, she would give that look to anyone who did reckless; Dakota usually was at the receiving end of that look.

"Positive! And anyway, this isn't important right now-"

"It wasn't just human zombies.." Simon spoke up, as he brought them even closer together, trying to keep this between them. "The Pokemon were infected too...that fast, this place was overrun by zombies."

Kakashi looked between them. Hearing the words made his thoughts go into overdrive. The words he and Cassandra exchanged repeated themselves, and his visible eye narrowed even more. "...Which means...we cannot wait for Jill and Chris to arrive…"

Cassandra's sharp gaze flickered between them, before she looked back at the others. "We better gather the others then. But...Dakota, Simon, we do have one thing we need to cover. Any other places that could've been infected due to the island."

It was subtle, but the shinobi caught the twitch from Dakota's eyes. However, she only nodded. Within minutes, if that long, the group gathered by the cots, where Lance stood by, and Looker now healed from his wound. However, upon closer inspection, there was a thin line of sweat on his paling face. He tried to hide it, pushing himself into a sitting position, while Hotaru helped with a gentle touch. They managed to get the other officers to keep the crowd away, and it was only nine in their own little group, given their own privacy to discuss the matters. As they talked amongst themselves, Kakashi glanced around them, making sure no one could overhear.

"So...the virus usually does not spread this fast?" Lance slowly asked, sitting on one of the cots with his arms folded, his expression...troubled.

Dakota shook her head. "I think his Pokemon could've been infected as well, which helped with the spread. Just as fast as they were dying, they were turning. What's worse, even if you killed the human zombies, they were coming back again, stronger than before." She explained quietly, while her gaze flickered solemnly toward Looker. "...I'm sorry Agent...but...most of the officers we found inside, outside of your group and a couple more...were dead…"

He said nothing, and he did not look at her as he clenched his fists. The mere thought of his comrades dying weighed on Kakashi's heart, his mind drifting back. It reminded him of their own uncertain fate on the island, when they would head there themselves. What if some of them did not make it back? He saw three familiar faces, all smiling joyously, but he quickly pushed it out of his mind. He could not think of his own sorrows at the moment. They still had a mission, and he needed to be on top of his game to help its success. All he could think of was making sure his current friends made it out alive as well. Then, he heard Hotaru asked as she placed a comforting hand on the agent's arm, "What do we do now? If we go to the island without preparing ourselves…?"

"We're as prepared as we can be." Simon replied, sighing softly. "If we wait for Chris and Jill, chances are we'll be putting more risk on other places, not just Cianwood City." Then, he glanced at Laurel. "What's their RTA?"

"They were moving as quickly as they could when I talked to them." She said, crossing her arms. "Probably thirty minutes at least, once they get all the vaccines together. But I doubt they are gonna like it if we left already...not that we have much of a choice, but still."

At those words, Dakota sighed, but she shook her head once more, saying, "They won't, but if I know them, they'll understand. With Hotaru's healing, the virus inside Looker should be held at bay until he can get the vaccine. If possible, we can give them coordinates if we need them ourselves."

Gambit snorted. "Ah would bet they would come after us, no matter if we told 'em or not, chere." He said casually. His lips twitched upward slightly, as he shrugged his shoulders. "They don't play around themselves."

"...This is one of those times I hope they don't…"

Kakashi heard her quiet mumble. Calmly, he glanced downward at her, his own gaze softening slightly. "They would be a help if they are able to come; however," He slowly raised his gaze to look at Lance, "I think it would be better if you tell them of our concerns about the other places. Between those two and any officers you can find-"

"We can make sure no one else has been harmed from the island's new 'residents'" Lance finished, meeting his gaze with his own firm one. "I know a couple other people who might be able to help with that. And I can contact the gym leaders to have them check their areas. Anything to help move this swiftly." For a moment, however, he, Dakota, and Simon shared a look.

"It is best for now." Cassandra said calmly. "Now...we need to head to the island."

"Of course. I can get one of the police boats ready for you."

Gambit nodded before he glanced at Laurel with a grin. "And don't worry, chere, ol' Remy will make sure ya not eaten from a Pokemon zombie." He said casually, throwing her a wink.

That caused her to give him a look before she threw him a grin herself. "Aw...why thank you, Remy. I'll remember that when I save YOU from one."

"Nah, ah ain't gonna be zombie chow today!"

Simon, on the other hand, rolled his eyes at their antics, while Kakashi merely chuckled. Despite the seriousness of the situation, which all of them were quite aware of, it did allow his own unease to lessen for a moment. He recalled fondly of Naruto's own antics that he would present, and his own loud determination in dire situations. Underneath his mask, he smiled warmly, before he looked at the two and said, "Well, I doubt any of us would want to be zombie food! Which means we better make sure it doesn't happen."

"...Kakashi's right." Dakota spoke up, before she stood up. "All of you, we can do this...we just need to watch each other's backs." Her fists tightened, and the solemn look melted into determination as she looked at them. "Let's move. The faster we finish this, the faster we can make sure everyone else is safe."

The group nodded in unison, glancing at each other with their own determined expressions. Kakashi was not sure what to think of the island. There were still so many variables of what could happen there, and he knew their fates were uncertain in this mission. In any mission, he knew a person's fate was uncertain. Yet, he knew he could not focus on that. All of them knew that. As he turned his gaze toward the ocean, he imagined he could see the island, inhabited by the zombie Pokemon or any other surprises that would come their way. It fueled his determination. He was not going to lose his friends there...it was not going to be their graveyard. THAT he was certain about.


	7. Chapter Six: Welcoming Committee

**Alright, last chapter was really bad. This one was should've been the one I went with, but eh. XD This one is much better, I can assure you! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my own take of Simon Belmont and Dakota Jaeger.**

**Chapter Six: Welcoming Committee**

_**Route 41, PokeWorld 17:13**_

The island was now in full view, as Kakashi and the others sped down the ocean's glistening surface. From a distance, it appeared to be calm, untouched by the hands of humans. Yet, Kakashi could sense something was...off. He had to conclude it was due to the zombies themselves. None of them said anything to each other; their minds were on the task ahead of them. A police station filled with zombies was one thing. Even then, judging from Dakota's and Simon's description, they were faced with a tough situation. His visible onyx eye narrowed quietly, but then he leaned against the side of the boat with his hands in his pockets. He had to remain focus but tensing up was not going to help him. Then, he fished out an orange book from his pocket and opened it. Just a few pages would be sufficient…

"Wow...I'm surprised you didn't open that sooner."

He did not look up, but he chuckled slightly at the amused tone in Laurel's voice. "Figured I can try to keep myself from being too tense before we head into the belly of the monster." He said casually. "I hope our fearless de facto leaders do not mind." He threw his signature eye smile toward Simon and Dakota.

The former merely rolled his eyes while the latter gave him a flat look. "Is now really time for that, Kakashi?" She deadpanned. Her wounds had now fully healed, even the one on her arm where she was bitten.

"...Why? Do you want to read it?" He innocently asked.

"OF COURSE NOT!"

Her reaction caused him to burst out laughing. Oh, how he loved to make her react that way, particularly when it came to her...dislike for the Icha Icha books. From the moment she found them and learned of its content, she had been dead set against them, in a very humorous manner in his opinion. Luckily, he hid them out of her sight whenever she visited Konoha. He feared what she would do to them if she managed to get her hands on them. Just a simple thought of it sent a shiver down his spine. And if his suspicions were correct, another one had to watch out for the same thing…and he glanced over at Cassandra.

Gambit laughed, throwing his head back. "Better watch it, mon ami! She might try and toss it into the ocean!"

"...She wouldn't dare…" Although...the flat glare she gave him...he silently put it back and gulped. Nope. He was not chancing it, not when she was already on edge with the mission.

"Not like you would have long to read it." Cassandra spoke up before she pointed toward the island. "We're nearly there!"

Simon turned away from the group to look, as the island came closer into view, even more eerily silent. "Here we are…" He mumbled.

"...Arriving at Zombie Island…" Laurel added.

Zombie Island…yeah, that was a name for it, Kakashi mused. Hotaru frowned softly as she calmly rubbed her arms. "I can sense it...all the death…"

Dakota nodded in agreement; her eyes narrowed as her body trembled. "So can I... been awhile since I felt something like this…and a whole island of zombie Pokemon on top of that…"

Kakashi could feel it too. The eerie feeling grew tremendously as they got closer, though there seemed to be no sounds emitting from the jungle area. The shoreline where they were heading toward seemed free of any zombies, but it only added to the tension. They were definitely somewhere on the island, but where was the main question. Even worse, he knew they needed to be on their toes in this terrain. There were so many hiding spots, they could be attacked from all sides, he wagered. When he glanced down, something caught his eye, causing him to frown underneath mask. The water seemed...murky like, and there were fish like creatures that floated to the surface, belly up. That was...quite disconcerting. On instinct, he scanned around for any signs of zombies or other monsters, but he saw nothing. That did not ease his mind.

"You seemed trouble."

His focus broken, he looked up to see Cassandra looking at him with an arched eyebrow. Usually, he would remark how she watched him, then there was no time to play now. "...I believe we need to get a move on." He said in a calm tone, motioning toward the water.

The others followed his gesture, and they gaped at the sight, except for Simon, who managed to remain calm. Gambit spoke up, "Wonderful. So now not only do we have monsters on land, we may have to fight something in the water too."

"...Maybe we should've brought water with us…" Hotaru said softly, grimacing at the sight. "This is…"

"This looks like drinking the Kool-Aid." Laurel finished, releasing a short breath as if to keep herself calm. "And if whatever caused this gets any further out, the entire ocean is gonna be a graveyard!"

Kakashi frowned. It brought up a good question. If there was a Pokémon already a zombie in the water, why had it not escaped further away? He answered his own query immediately. Whatever it was...it was contained, and the water was connected to that point. Slowly, he glanced toward Dakota, whose gaze remained glue on the water. She seemed to be in deep thought, away from where they were. This was concerning her even more than before. He could see her mind going into different directions, perhaps trying to think of plans and what if's. Trying to plan was one thing, but he was concerned that she was going to hyperventilate. Right at that moment, no one needed that.

So, he cleared his throat and asked, "Kota, what do you think this is?"

"Huh?" Her head snapped to look at him, her eyes wide. Once she realized who she was talking to, her gaze fell momentarily, as if thinking once more. Yet, it did not last nearly as long as before. She looked at him again and said, "This isn't an accident per say, like someone came here with the virus and dropped it. If it's like before, there's a lab here and, whatever is tainting the ocean around here, its locked there." Her eyes slowly moved toward the ocean's surface, taking in the murky look. "If it was out...chances are, there will be more damage around here, dead Pokemon...or even damages at nearby areas."

"So if we want to figure out what happened, we need to find this lab." Simon concluded, crossing his arms. "Island this size...it may take us a while to find it…"

"...Not unless…" Cassandra spoke up. "We split up into groups. Cover more ground and keep in contact if we find anything or we are in trouble."

Hotaru looked at her with widened eyes. "Is...Is that wise?"

"It is not an ideal solution, but it is the best one we have. How else will we find the lab?"

"But..."

"Cassandra's right." Dakota sighed. "We can only find the place quicker and clear out the area if we split off. We just...need to plan this out accordingly."

Before any of them could utter an idea, there was a loud roar that echoed above them. It was deep, like a large creature with a draconic like tone. When they hastily looked up to see what it was, they noticed a burst of flames spread across the sky. It created a large BOOM, causing their ears to ring. Each one flinched, ready to defend themselves in that split moment. However, nothing shot through the sky, who sent the burst of flames upward. Kakashi stare as the burst slowly disappeared. That was...huge. Was it the virus making the Pokemon even stronger? Or was it their power on a normal scale? If it was the latter, he was mighty impressed at the sight. Part of him did feel a sense of unease, believing it was more than just a normal Pokemon. He was almost certain that any Pokemon they found on the island would already be infected. Yet, if this power display was what a normal one did...what could the virus do to make them more DEADLY?

"Uh...guys?"

Laurel's voice broke him out of his thoughts before he looked at her. She pointed toward a different portion of the sky, where there seemed to be a flock of birds flying their way. At least, that was what they appeared in the distant. Her gaze had turned completely serious as she pulled out her bo staff. "Looks like we've got company!" She exclaimed. "Look alive!"

"...DAMMIT…" Dakota cursed, prepping her bow and arrow for an attack. "I've got their scent...those are Pidgeottos, and they don't smell pleasant!"

"...Perfect…" Kakashi groaned before he quickly stood up with Gambit. With swift hand movements, he performed seals as he concentrated on the water around him. He began to focus intently, eyeing the flock of birds intently. The mutant near him already pulled out a card, clutching it tightly with his fingers. They cawed loudly, zooming close to them. From what he could tell, all of them appeared to be normal...no flesh missing from their bodies, anyway. Their brown and cream-colored feathers seemed to be untouched, sleek in style, as well as their red and yellow plumage of their tails. Their eyes had black angular markings around them, and a crest of pinkish-red feathers covered their heads. Their talons were visibly sharp, and its beak and legs were pink in color. Yes, for a bird Pokemon, they seemed fine. But he took no chances. After a few moments, the water in front of them began to ripple, while his focus became more and more intense.

"**Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"**

Abruptly, a large body of water-in the form of a dragon-shot in front of the water, the murky surface glistening from the setting sun. It roared loudly; its eyes locked onto its target. The shinobi then launched it forward, smashing it into the flock. Some of the Pidgeottos were dragged into the ocean, pushed further down from crashing waves. Several others managed to dodge the attack, and three of them did a nosedive toward them. Dakota and Simon immediately shot at them, and one of them fell into the water. That moment allowed the other two to spread their wings more, glowing brightly. As they got closer, Laurel immediately jumped forward to smash the closest one with her bo staff before it could hit any of them. With a twist of her body, she hit the other one with ease. Despite that, it kept itself from landing in the water, and it flew back to smash into her.

The assassin cried out as she fell backwards, but Cassandra managed to grab her in time. Then, she pulled out a knife and stabbed the Pidgeotto when it came closer again. It landed in the boat with a thud, but Kakashi paid no attention to it. There were still four more, who were forming in front of them. He pulled out four shurikens to throw toward them, only for a burst of wind to smash against the boat. The boat was pushed back with marks along it from the sheer force. The seven souls grasped the edge of the boat, to keep from falling out, crying out slightly. Then, it slammed against a rock formation, denting it largely. Dakota managed to stand up once more and she drew back three arrows as a silvery blue wisp covered them. She rocked against the shaking foundation, but she tried to keep herself steady as she aimed. Breathing in deeply, she let loose the arrows and managed to hit three of them. The final one flew down, and it swiftly went to peck her relentlessly. She gritted her teeth, but Gambit hastily grabbed it. It suddenly glow pink energy before he threw it as far as he could. Within a couple seconds, it exploded in a flame plume, while pieces fell into the water.

"...Figured you would throw a card, Remy." Laurel sighed deeply, closing her eyes as she collapsed on the boat.

Gambit sighed slightly before he shook his head. "Ah did not want to risk those undead chickens to blow it right back to us. Then we'll be joining these belly upped fish." His gaze flickered toward the crashing waves with a grimace. "...Everyone alright?"

Hotaru nodded, picking up a strange device from the floorboard. "Hai…"

Kakashi shook his head as he helped her up. "That was a wonderful welcoming committee." He remarked dryly. "Perhaps we should've gave them a better home warming present."

"Are you saying we did no such thing?" Simon quipped, grinning slightly.

"Could've done more."

Dakota shook her head as she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. However, she froze when she noticed something. "...Oh PERFECT…"

"What is wrong?" Cassandra slowly asked as she stood...but then froze. "Oh no…"

Kakashi arched an eyebrow as he turned to see what they gaped at. A hole had formed on the side of the boat, where water gushed in. Their feet were already soaked, and they were already sinking past their ankles. He cursed mentally, before he turned his head toward shore. Laurel cursed verbally as attempted to plug the hole. "What now?!" She exclaimed.

"We need to move to shore now!" Simon looked around to find anything like a paddle. All of them frantically looked around for an object to help them move, but there was nothing in sight.

Dakota frowned deeply, but then her eyes lit up. To Kakashi, it meant she had an idea. Hastily, she turned to him and asked, "Kakashi, can you use your jutsu to jet us across the water?"

He thought for only a brief moment. He never done so before, yet he was never truly in a position such as this in any mission. It certainly made sense to him. Suddenly, one came to mind instantly: a Wind Release jutsu. He recalled seeing it once from Temarj, when he went to Sunakagure to help her and her brothers with a mission. With the help of his Sharingan, he managed to learn it swiftly. Quickly, he already began to use hand seals. "Certainly, doesn't hurt to try!" He reassured her, while his gaze became focused once more.

Cassandra immediately used the hilt of her sword to help Laurel, while Simon and Gambit went to push the boat away from the rock formation. Dakota immediately grabbed Hotaru and held onto her, gripping the side of the boat with vigor. She gripped it so hard that it bent within her grasp. Everyone was prepared for the fast movement, each one praying or hoping they would make it to the shore without any other issue. Kakashi finished his final hand seal, before he had his palms face the waters.

"**Wind Release: Air Current Wild Dance!"**

The air currents quickly moved from his palms, smacking against the waters relentlessly. The boat easily began to move as he upped the pressure, and they began to jet across the waves as quickly as it could. Water still splashed into the boat, against them, but the sheer speed made no time for them to submerge more. The shinobi had to keep his feet planted against the floorboard, his palms out, to keep up with the jutsu. His silver hair blew near his face, while he felt the wind against his neck. At a couple points, when the boat hit a wave, he felt his knees buckle slightly. He almost thought he would falter, but he kept himself standing, his focus locked on. His friends were on his mind, and he was not going to let them drown or this murky water do something to them. They will arrive on the island, all in one piece.

Alas, the wish was not meant to be.

As it was coming close to the bank, when no one took notice for a moment, a large energy blast smashed against them. The boat was all but destroyed with ease, and Kakashi-with widened eyes-was thrown back by the force. The last thing he heard was the screams of his friends, before darkness overtook his sight...

**Well…that ended well. So now what is going to happen to them on the island now? Stay tuned to find out!**

**God Bless!**


End file.
